Merchant Ship Hurricanes

Thanks, James.

I had another closer look at the photos of the real thing. Does look that way indeed.

Cheers
Chris
TNZ

The Walrus / Seagull catapult on RN and RAN ships had (aft) arms which collapsed forwards at the end of the catapult.

If you look at the images posted by Papa Lima, you’ll see that there’s no evidence of the horizontal bar included in the model. The trolley structure in the model looks too beefy to me, as well. Essentially, there were two sets of side bars, and a clear path between.

The undercarriage WAS wanted, in case a landfall was possible, after launch and attack – hence the retention of a lot of otherwise unrequired weight. In the nature of the job, it was quite possible that a CAM Hurricane would be launched and after an attack, make a one way journey to the UK, Ireland or even some islands – the pilot took careful note of their position!

Incidentally, the positions of the catapult attachment on these CAM Hurricanes matches the Sea Hurricane’s spools.

That is a superb model Mark. Thanks for taking the trouble to source the photos for us. Turbo and his modelling mate are not the only ones who appreciate them.

I wondered about that myself, looking at the arrangement….the belly of the plane just rests on the dolly, unless the dolly folds forward during launching to allow the tail wheel/aft fuselage to clear, I would think the tail wheel would go bye bye…as Turbo said, possibly doing damage to the tail section!

Anyone have any further observations on how all this worked?

Mark

If you look at the model pics and a couple of the supplied pics, the Hurris is supported by a cradle aft of the radiator. My question would be what stops the tailwheel assembly from being shorn off by the catapult cradle coming to an abrupt stop. Admittedly it doesn’t need it’s undercart now but that scenario may potentially severely damage the tail section if it’s struck.

Just an observation.

TNZ

The Shuttleworth Collection’s Sea Hurricane is fitted with a hook and catapult spools.

Now I know the hook wasn’t fitted on CAM Ship Hurricanes, but what kind of spools or catapult attachments were fitted? In the case of the Shuttleworth’s machine, there’s a couple of damn great wheels on either side of the rad. That wouldn’t have been a quick fix, so what was done.

And does anyone know who made the catapult gear?

TNZ,

I would think so.

After all, it was a very overrated aircraft. 😉 🙂

Mark

lol 😀 😀

Mark12.
Wonder is they disposed of the Seafire like the Hurris were, by losing the aircraft.TNZ

TNZ,

I would think so.

After all, it was a very overrated aircraft. 😉 🙂

Mark

Thanks Mark,

I think he’s done an awesome job of the Hurri Diorama.
My answer is d*mn straight it is good enough !!!!!!!!

Thanks heaps, Mark

Cheers
Chris
TNZ

TurboNZ,

Not by the British to my knowledge but certainly the Russians were playing with the idea in 1946 and conducted trials on the Cruiser ‘Molotov’.

Here is a shot from a Russian website and although listed by them as Seafire I it is almost certainly a Spitfire VB.

http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fww2/sfire.html

Anybody know anything more about this?

Mark

Interesting pic there, Mark12.
Wonder is they disposed of the Seafire like the Hurris were by losing the aircraft.

TNZ

Here are the pics, as promised, from ‘Fred’ at Don’s hobbies of his model….he wants to know if you guys think its good enough to send in to the IPMS Journal for them to publish?

Mark

Were Spits actually used in the same disposable way off CAM’s that Hurricane were used ?

TurboNZ,

Not by the British to my knowledge but certainly the Russians were playing with the idea in 1946 and conducted trials on the Cruiser ‘Molotov’.

Here is a shot from a Russian website and although listed by them as Seafire I it is almost certainly a Spitfire VB.

http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fww2/sfire.html

Anybody know anything more about this?

Mark

Were Spits actually used in the same disposable way off CAM’s that Hurricane were used ?

Whilst in this general area, what about the Spitfire on the catapult?

Mark

Hey Mark,

Very much appreciated, my modelling-friend will be over the moon !!

Cheers
Chris

Chris-

Friday night here in CO, tomorrow after work I am heading down to Don’s Hobbies to have a talk with the guy about borrowing his pics of the construction of the CAM model Hurricane at the shop…seems he is the one who constructed it (don’t know if it’s Don the hobby shop owner himself or not) but he said he had some pics I could use to send to you, so I will get on that after work tomorrow…hopefully they’ll be of use to you…

Mark

Thanks for the pic, Dan and yes Dave, I just checked online and the Library has the book available. I go get it tomorrow.

Thanks guys 🙂

Cheers
Chris

Chris, take a look in Bob Spurdle’s book ‘The Blue Arena’. I think there’s a piccie of one blasting off in there. The book is in pretty much every Kiwi library. He was a Battle of Britain pilot, then Battle of Atlantic pilot, then Pacific squadron commander and ace. An amazing career. And a jolly nice chap he was too. He once dived so hard he made the wings snap off his Spitfire!

One from the old Arco-Aircam series No 33 Hawker Hurricane Mk. I/IV

Dan

That would be awesome.
Thanks for going to all the trouble to do this.

Cheers
Chris