Hurricane ID

The only two Polish fighter squadrons to take part in the Battle of Britain were 302 and 303.

In the early 1930’s each eskadra of the Polish Air Force adopted an emblem which it displayed on the fuselage of its aircraft. Each Air Regiment used a different geometrical device over which the emblem was displayed. 1st – triangle, 2nd – square, 3rd – diamond, 4th – pentagon, 5th – cross, 6th – disc.

When the Polish Air Force (PAF) reformed in Britain in 1940 the squadrons were formed as much as possible from personnel that had served together in the same pre-war eskadra. 306 Squadron was formed from personnel from the 3rd and 4th Air Regiments. The squadron badge reflects this. The white diamond is from the 3rd Air Regiment. The emblem of the 141st and 142nd Eskadras of the 4th Air Regiment was a wild duck. (The first version had two ducks.) The 141st had blue head and wings and the 142nd green head and wings. The 306 Squadron duck had a green head and blue wings. Above the duck is the bear and staff of Warwick. This was added because the first joint CO of the squadron was S/Ldr Douglas Reginald Scott who came from 605 County of Warwick Squadron.

You will find a couple of photos (1&3) of the Hurricane here: http://www.polishairforce.pl/dyw306zdj.html

There are a number of photographs of 306 Hurricanes at Ternhill (including a better one of the port side of UZ.V) in the Stratus publication Polskie Skrzydła 4 Hawker Hurricane (Polish Wings 4). Not that expensive and you should be able to still find it at the well known online bookshops.

reference to info for hurricane

thank you for the info, my friend is well pleased! He’s just awaiting registration for the forum and his name is hurricane_pilot. please look out for him as i think he is ace!
sadsack

Hurricane Mk. I—

Hawker Hurricane Mk I, UZ-V V7118, 306 Sqn RAF (Polish), Ternhill, November 1940

306 website

a representation of UZ-V. V7118 herself

cheers

Chris

Air Britains RAF Aircraft KA100-KZ999 gives KX857 as one of a batch of 1455 Hurricane IIB, IIC, IID, and IVs delivered from Hawkers Kingston and Langley factorys between 11/1942 and 5/1943, noting that it went to the Middle East and that there was No Further Trace.

Flood

That no further trace being it’s move to the USAAF 345th squadron as a hack no doubt 🙂

Thanks for the info

Dan

Air Britains RAF Aircraft KA100-KZ999 gives KX857 as one of a batch of 1455 Hurricane IIB, IIC, IID, and IVs delivered from Hawkers Kingston and Langley factorys between 11/1942 and 5/1943, noting that it went to the Middle East and that there was No Further Trace.

Flood

Wow! That was fast. Fascinating conversions those two seat kites 🙂 Now I wonder if anyone has the record card for it floating around to track down the units it was with previously and if it notes being SOC or given to the 345th at some point.

One of the 345th pilots lives not too far from me and is a friend. He used to fly that two seat Hurri all the time. He dropped in at a Spit base on one occasion and the CO offered to trade him a Spit for it. As he was only a Flight Officer at the time, he said he didn’t have the authority to do so. When he got back to base and told his CO, the CO couldn’t believe he didn’t make the deal! 🙂

He also took it up with the Squadron Doc when Mt. Vesuvius went up. They cruised over the top taking photos.

Dan

Dan,

Fascinating photos.

KX857 a Hurricane IIc.

Mark

A close up of the two seat configuration. The beaten up appearance is similar to the other Hurricane photo

Dan