Devil has asked me to skin a few more Soviet Hawker Hurricanes for a future event.
This Hurricane Mk IIB was photographed taking off from a Soviet airfield in Spring 1942. Its original RAF camouflage and markings had been over-painted in VVS paints to a greater extent than was normally the case. Possibly the aircraft was one of those handed over by RAF's 151 Wing. This unit was based near Murmansk in late 1941 to protect Allied convoys sailing there from the Luftwaffe and also to train Soviet pilots on the type. After they had left their aircraft were handed over to the Soviet Black Sea Fleet. Soviet camouflage paint was applied over the RAF markings and squadron codes and then red stars and Bort numbers applied over that. Later Hurricanes built for the Soviets had no squadron codes and so needed less repainting.
The Soviet pilots were not overly impressed with the Hurricane, partly because its Merlin engine had to be de-tuned to handle the local lower octane fuel and so was down on power. Also the armament of twelve 0.303 inch guns was considered inadequate and many aircraft were modified to take Soviet 20mm cannon and heavy machine guns. Once US Lend Lease aircraft like the P-40 and P-39 became available the Hurricanes were largely relegated to use as light bombers.
