Another Stupid Question

[James Dandy]

Was there ever such a thing as a twinned-Hurricane?

My work nemesis says he bets that none of you guys have ever heard of
it before.

He showed me two grainy photos of this plane and it looks indeed very
strange.

Why would the Tommys want to twin a Hurricane fighter? Billy told me
about the twin-Mustang but that was after the war.

Anyhow, my friendly foe insists that Hawker made the twin from parts
from two planes with a new wing and numbered it N2368. He says it
isn't found recorded in any official history because it was built from
parts from other machines and was abandoned when the Typhoon came
along.

So what did they do with it then? Just scrap it? Why the hell build it
in the first place?

I'm confused. Help me out.

James Dandy

[Dave Kearton]

"James Dandy" > wrote in message
m...
| Was there ever such a thing as a twinned-Hurricane?
|
| My work nemesis says he bets that none of you guys have ever heard of
| it before.
|
| He showed me two grainy photos of this plane and it looks indeed very
| strange.
|
| Why would the Tommys want to twin a Hurricane fighter? Billy told me
| about the twin-Mustang but that was after the war.
|
| Anyhow, my friendly foe insists that Hawker made the twin from parts
| from two planes with a new wing and numbered it N2368. He says it
| isn't found recorded in any official history because it was built from
| parts from other machines and was abandoned when the Typhoon came
| along.
|
| So what did they do with it then? Just scrap it? Why the hell build it
| in the first place?
|
| I'm confused. Help me out.
|
| James Dandy




Sure I can help you out - which way did you come in ?




But seriously .... I'm not aware of a twin fuselage Hurricane; if anything
a twin Spitfire would have had more development potential.
Hastening to point out that I'm _not_ the ultimate oracle for all things
Hurricane (ignore what my wife says)



I've seen pics of an experimental biplane Hurricane, that discards the top
wing shortly after take off - is that what he's referring to ?


Otherwise, perhaps you could check in your pocket for a warm, yellow
liquid. ;-)





Cheers


Dave Kearton

[Cub Driver]

The twin Mustang had a very real purpose: super-long-range fighter,
with the additional benefit of a relief pilot. I don't see the logic
in twinning a short-legged fighter like the Hurricane.

Manufacturers in the 1930s of course did most of the development work
themselves, so there didn't have to be any reason for Hawker to play
with its design. Still, the lack of any reference to such an aircraft,
and the uselessness of the final product, makes me suspect that the
photos are bogus.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

[Keith Willshaw]

"James Dandy" > wrote in message
m...
> Was there ever such a thing as a twinned-Hurricane?
>

Not to my knowledge but there was a proposal for a
variant with a jettisonable biplane upper wing for ferry
flights and a good deal of experimental work was done
with the type so its not impossible.

Keith

[robert arndt]

"Keith Willshaw" > wrote in message >...
> "James Dandy" > wrote in message
> m...
> > Was there ever such a thing as a twinned-Hurricane?
> >
>
> Not to my knowledge but there was a proposal for a
> variant with a jettisonable biplane upper wing for ferry
> flights and a good deal of experimental work was done
> with the type so its not impossible.
>
> Keith

He's not talking about that design is he? Stick to the subject will
you?
There is a reference to a twin Hurricane built from two crashed
aircraft parts with a new wing section and new engines. It was
designated a non-official N2368 and only one was built, used mostly
for testing but initially to meet an RAF specification. Eventually, it
was scrapped.
The information comes from the Feb 1999 issue of IPMS in a 4 page
article by Paul Lloyd. It was for a twin-hurricane model and there is
one historic poor-quality photo of N2368 included.
I have never seen the photo since the magazine was from the UK but
that is where the information comes from. Maybe you can still buy it?
Sounds like Jim's friend is a modeler and gets his WW2 info from those
sources.

Rob

[Keith Willshaw]

"robert arndt" > wrote in message
om...
> "Keith Willshaw" > wrote in message
>...
> > "James Dandy" > wrote in message
> > m...
> > > Was there ever such a thing as a twinned-Hurricane?
> > >
> >
> > Not to my knowledge but there was a proposal for a
> > variant with a jettisonable biplane upper wing for ferry
> > flights and a good deal of experimental work was done
> > with the type so its not impossible.
> >
> > Keith
>
> He's not talking about that design is he? Stick to the subject will
> you?

The subject is an experimental version of the Hurricane,
an example of other seemingly bizarre variants seems
rather relevant.

> There is a reference to a twin Hurricane built from two crashed
> aircraft parts with a new wing section and new engines. It was
> designated a non-official N2368 and only one was built, used mostly
> for testing but initially to meet an RAF specification. Eventually, it
> was scrapped.
> The information comes from the Feb 1999 issue of IPMS in a 4 page
> article by Paul Lloyd. It was for a twin-hurricane model and there is
> one historic poor-quality photo of N2368 included.
> I have never seen the photo since the magazine was from the UK but
> that is where the information comes from. Maybe you can still buy it?
> Sounds like Jim's friend is a modeler and gets his WW2 info from those
> sources.
>

That could be so.

Keith

[TJ]

"robert arndt"

> He's not talking about that design is he? Stick to the subject will
> you?
> There is a reference to a twin Hurricane built from two crashed
> aircraft parts with a new wing section and new engines. It was
> designated a non-official N2368 and only one was built, used mostly
> for testing but initially to meet an RAF specification. Eventually, it
> was scrapped.
> The information comes from the Feb 1999 issue of IPMS in a 4 page
> article by Paul Lloyd. It was for a twin-hurricane model and there is
> one historic poor-quality photo of N2368 included.
> I have never seen the photo since the magazine was from the UK but
> that is where the information comes from. Maybe you can still buy it?
> Sounds like Jim's friend is a modeler and gets his WW2 info from those
> sources.
>
> Rob

Rob, that was an April Fool article in IPMS.

TJ

[robert arndt]

"TJ" > wrote in message >...
> "robert arndt"
>
> > He's not talking about that design is he? Stick to the subject will
> > you?
> > There is a reference to a twin Hurricane built from two crashed
> > aircraft parts with a new wing section and new engines. It was
> > designated a non-official N2368 and only one was built, used mostly
> > for testing but initially to meet an RAF specification. Eventually, it
> > was scrapped.
> > The information comes from the Feb 1999 issue of IPMS in a 4 page
> > article by Paul Lloyd. It was for a twin-hurricane model and there is
> > one historic poor-quality photo of N2368 included.
> > I have never seen the photo since the magazine was from the UK but
> > that is where the information comes from. Maybe you can still buy it?
> > Sounds like Jim's friend is a modeler and gets his WW2 info from those
> > sources.
> >
> > Rob
>
> Rob, that was an April Fool article in IPMS.
>
> TJ

Thanks TJ... but Keith was still talking about the Hillson FH40
Slip-Wing Hurricane and not the twin- Hurricane the origianl poster
inquired about.
I do not assume anything about the twin-Hurricane. I only posted where
Jim's friend probably got the info from- erroneous or not. But why
would a Feb issue of a modeling mag have an April fool article in it?
As stated in my reply I never saw the photo nor purchased the issue. I
have heard about it but that is not the only source.
A while ago, maybe in one of my older archived posts at RAM or the WW2
NG, there was similar talk of the twin-Hurricane. IIRC, an RAF test
facility was mentioned but I can't remember what it was. There,
supposedly was tested a few rare experimental Hurricanes. I distinctly
remeber one open cockpit type that was used for taxi training that had
an instructor seat bolted to one wing!
You won't find a pic for that one I bet. Anyway, it was a real
aircraft claimed by many pilots and noted in references to that RAF
test facility.
So, maybe the aircraft was built or maybe not. The slip-wing Hurricane
definate was but can you find a photo of it? I can't.

Rob

p.s. Here's a pic of a German captured Hurricane:
http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/Hurricane_V7670_nazicaptured.jpg

[TJ]

"Keith Willshaw" > wrote in message
...
>
> "robert arndt" > wrote in message
> om...
> > "Keith Willshaw" > wrote in message
> >...
> > > "James Dandy" > wrote in message
> > > m...
> > > > Was there ever such a thing as a twinned-Hurricane?
> > > >
> > >
> > > Not to my knowledge but there was a proposal for a
> > > variant with a jettisonable biplane upper wing for ferry
> > > flights and a good deal of experimental work was done
> > > with the type so its not impossible.
> > >
> > > Keith
> >
> > He's not talking about that design is he? Stick to the subject will
> > you?
>
> The subject is an experimental version of the Hurricane,
> an example of other seemingly bizarre variants seems
> rather relevant.
>
> > There is a reference to a twin Hurricane built from two crashed
> > aircraft parts with a new wing section and new engines. It was
> > designated a non-official N2368 and only one was built, used mostly
> > for testing but initially to meet an RAF specification. Eventually, it
> > was scrapped.
> > The information comes from the Feb 1999 issue of IPMS in a 4 page
> > article by Paul Lloyd. It was for a twin-hurricane model and there is
> > one historic poor-quality photo of N2368 included.
> > I have never seen the photo since the magazine was from the UK but
> > that is where the information comes from. Maybe you can still buy it?
> > Sounds like Jim's friend is a modeler and gets his WW2 info from those
> > sources.
> >
>
> That could be so.
>
> Keith
>
>
>

Jim's friend was taken in hook line and sinker on the Twin Hurricane. The
author put in cryptic comments on the sketch pages of the magazine. " 1st of
30, 4th of 12; and Anniversary of the Royal Air Force, 1918, and a small
cartoon flying pig". I wonder how many individuals built the "Twin
Hurricane" and had it built and proudly on display by the 1s April 1999?
Did Jim's friend perhaps build a r/c model based on the plans?

TJ