I have just acquired a set of five photos which I think must show the trial fitting of a DH prop to a Hurricane – in which case, probably L1562.
Has anyone seen these images before? If so, can they confirm this is L1562? Also, is this at Brooklands as the captions seem to suggest?
Some interesting characters in the photos, too.
By: Arabella-Cox - 25th October 2010 at 23:29
Hi Iain!
Thanks for that.
Sounds like Brooklands, then. None of mine have the racing track in view which is obviously the clincher.
By: hurri600 - 25th October 2010 at 23:23
Hurricane L1562
Hi Andy.
Nice photo, there is another photo of this Aircraft take from head-on which shows the Hangar behind under construction and in the distance can be seen part of the banking of the race track. so i would think it is very likely Brooklands.
Best wishes
Iain (Hurri600)
By: Arabella-Cox - 25th October 2010 at 22:03
Did they have a Belfast hangar at Brooklands?
In one of the photographs the General Manager of Brooklands is identified, which made me think it may have been there unless he had gone off for a visit elsewhere.
Could it be Martlesham?
Thanks though, Mark!
By: shepsair - 25th October 2010 at 22:01
Hurricane L1962
Andy
No idea location, Seem to be completing the hanger. Few bits on the web.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26467189@N05/page7/
http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/iowweb/iowc.html
By 1939 several improvements had been made in the standard Hurricane I design, the Merlin II had been superseded by the Merlin III and the first Hurricane, L1562, to be fitted with a two-pitch de Havilland 3-blade propellor had been flown on 29 August 1938. Triple ejector exhaust manifolds were standardised while most of the early aircraft had been retrospectively modified with the underfin.
http://homepages.tesco.net/~mrogers/CBFS/history-pg3.html
The little that I have, no significant technical depth but a start
Work with the de Havilland propeller began on 29Aug38 with trials of their two-pitch, three-speed metal propeller on L1562. It used a fine pitch of 30.5degs for take-off and 42.4degs for coarse pitch in flight, this airscrew, although incurring a weight penalty of almost 300lbs, bestowed a significant improvement in the climb, reducing the time to rated altitude by a full minute. Flight trials on L1562 continued for several months and although the overspeeding and dive characteristics left much to be desired – commencing with L1780, issued to 213 Sqn in January 1939 – were fitted with the new DH propeller.
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/schematics/propeller-specs-hawker-hurricane-26087.html
Still not sure where. Brooklands would seem an abvious place with regards date? and development/production.
regards
Mark
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October 25, 2010 at 9:07 pm