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Hurricane: Victor of the Battle of Britain
In the summer of 1940 the fate of Europe hung in the balance. Victory in the forthcoming air battle would mean national survival; defeat would establish German tyranny.
The Luftwaffe greatly outnumbered the RAF, but during the Battle of Britain it was the RAF that emerged triumphant, thanks to two key fighter planes, the Spitfire and the Hurricane. The Hurricane made up over half of Fighter Command`s front-line strength, and its revolutionary design transformed the RAF`s capabilities.
Leo McKinstry tells the story of the remarkable plane from its designers to the first-hand testimonies of those brave pilots who flew it; he takes in the full military and political background but always keeps the human stories to the fore - to restore the Hawker Hurricane to its rightful place in history.
The Luftwaffe greatly outnumbered the RAF, but during the Battle of Britain it was the RAF that emerged triumphant, thanks to two key fighter planes, the Spitfire and the Hurricane. The Hurricane made up over half of Fighter Command`s front-line strength, and its revolutionary design transformed the RAF`s capabilities.
Leo McKinstry tells the story of the remarkable plane from its designers to the first-hand testimonies of those brave pilots who flew it; he takes in the full military and political background but always keeps the human stories to the fore - to restore the Hawker Hurricane to its rightful place in history.
373 pages, Hardcover
First published June 24, 2010
5 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Leo McKinstry
23 books15 followersLeo McKinstry writes regularly for the Daily Mail, Sunday Telegraph and Spectator. He has also written nine books including a life of Geoff Boycott, which was recently named one of the finest cricket books written in a Wisden poll. His best-selling biography of the footballing Charlton brothers was a top-ten bestseller and won the Sports Book of the Year award, while his study of Lord Rosebery won Channel Four Political Book of the year. Most recently he has written a trilogy about the RAF in the Second World War, including Spitfire, Lancaster and Hurricane.
Born in Belfast he was educated in Ireland and at Cambridge University.
Born in Belfast he was educated in Ireland and at Cambridge University.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 20, 2020
"In many ways, the Hurricane was a quintessentially British plane, evocative of the nation’s wartime character: reliable, tough, determined rather than elegant, perhaps lacking in refinement but undoubtedly solid. It was a true bulldog of a plane, the instrument of salvation when the country was fighting for its very existence in 1940. As the Hawker engineer Beryl Platt put it to a post-war interviewer, ‘without those Hurricanes, you and I would not be sitting where we are today’."
Leo McKinstry's book charts the development, building and service history of Hawker's bruiser, from Sidney Camm's early career through the design and construction of the prototype and the subsequent construction and partial redesign of the type, it's production surge and ultimately it's service history.
The most interesting part of the book, from my opinion, were the chapters dealing with the design and development. The majority of the service history covers the Battle of France and, arguably, the Hurricane's Finest Hour in the Summer and early autumn of 1940. Sadly, the Hurricane's subsequent deployments and developments are dealt with quickly and it's service with other air forces is hardly mentioned.
That said, from my point of view, this book could hardly fail - I was introduced to the Hurricane at the age of six, inn the classic British comic serial "Johnny Red" that cemented my appreciation for the type, and another theme of the book which raised a wry smile were the passages discussing "Spitfire snobbery", although the author is at pains to point out that the Summer of 1940 belonged to both aircraft, design flaws (the dread "standard Hurricane burns" apparently were a result of burning fuel being drawn into the cockpit from the wings rather than streaming down from the gravity tank in front of the instrument panel, but the Spitfire was a nightmare to rearm).
A well written, easy read, and at just the right time too. And as for that snobbery? I'll leave that to Ginger Lacey, who should know;
"Asked about which of the two fighters he preferred, he replied: ‘I’d rather fly in a Spitfire but fight in a Hurricane – because the Hurricane was made of non-essential parts. I had them all shot off at one time or another, and it still flew just as well without them.’"
Leo McKinstry's book charts the development, building and service history of Hawker's bruiser, from Sidney Camm's early career through the design and construction of the prototype and the subsequent construction and partial redesign of the type, it's production surge and ultimately it's service history.
The most interesting part of the book, from my opinion, were the chapters dealing with the design and development. The majority of the service history covers the Battle of France and, arguably, the Hurricane's Finest Hour in the Summer and early autumn of 1940. Sadly, the Hurricane's subsequent deployments and developments are dealt with quickly and it's service with other air forces is hardly mentioned.
That said, from my point of view, this book could hardly fail - I was introduced to the Hurricane at the age of six, inn the classic British comic serial "Johnny Red" that cemented my appreciation for the type, and another theme of the book which raised a wry smile were the passages discussing "Spitfire snobbery", although the author is at pains to point out that the Summer of 1940 belonged to both aircraft, design flaws (the dread "standard Hurricane burns" apparently were a result of burning fuel being drawn into the cockpit from the wings rather than streaming down from the gravity tank in front of the instrument panel, but the Spitfire was a nightmare to rearm).
A well written, easy read, and at just the right time too. And as for that snobbery? I'll leave that to Ginger Lacey, who should know;
"Asked about which of the two fighters he preferred, he replied: ‘I’d rather fly in a Spitfire but fight in a Hurricane – because the Hurricane was made of non-essential parts. I had them all shot off at one time or another, and it still flew just as well without them.’"
January 27, 2024
Impressively researched book by an expert war aviation historian whose avowed aim is to give the Hurricane its due, as the aircraft which won the Battle of Britain.
The popular view at the time, and since, is that the Spitfire, designed by RJ Mitchell and first flown in 1936, was the aircraft piloted by the few to whom so many owed so much when the skies of southern England were filled by Messerschmitt’s, Stukas and Dorniers. The Spitfire and its pilots were properly heroic but the Hurricane recorded many more kills and was beloved by its pilots, who nevertheless resented the attention given to their more glamorous comrades. It is true the Spitfire was faster and during the course of the war benefitted from regular improvements which maintained its edge. As the war continued the Hurricane indeed become less competitive. But it took a while.
The Hurricane, brainchild of Sydney Camm, appeared around the same time as the Spitfire, in 1935, but was in many ways old fashioned, or perhaps we should say traditional, especially in terms of construction. The fuselage was a wooden frame covered in canvas, which would have been familiar even to World War One fliers. The advantage of this feature, however, was that Hurricanes were simple to construct quickly, much quicker than the all-metal Spitfires. In combat, bullets tended to go straight through the fuselage without causing much damage. Additionally the rather thick wing made for easier magazine installation and provided a more stable firing platform for its cannon.
Suffice to say the Hurricane scored more kills in the Battle of Britain than all the other fighters put together.
McKinstry in his painstaking way details the variety of roles undertaken by successive Hurricane marques for the rest of the war, including escort duties across the Baltic to the USSR and service in the African desert (Roald Dahl was a pilot there). Modified models were catapulted from ships to provide fighter cover when escorting convoys and Hurricanes served in other theatres including South East Asia.
An affectionate account of a venerable warhorse to set the record straight. It should be noted that among other such efforts, McKinstry has also written a history of the Spitfire- Spitfire: Portrait of a Legend.
The popular view at the time, and since, is that the Spitfire, designed by RJ Mitchell and first flown in 1936, was the aircraft piloted by the few to whom so many owed so much when the skies of southern England were filled by Messerschmitt’s, Stukas and Dorniers. The Spitfire and its pilots were properly heroic but the Hurricane recorded many more kills and was beloved by its pilots, who nevertheless resented the attention given to their more glamorous comrades. It is true the Spitfire was faster and during the course of the war benefitted from regular improvements which maintained its edge. As the war continued the Hurricane indeed become less competitive. But it took a while.
The Hurricane, brainchild of Sydney Camm, appeared around the same time as the Spitfire, in 1935, but was in many ways old fashioned, or perhaps we should say traditional, especially in terms of construction. The fuselage was a wooden frame covered in canvas, which would have been familiar even to World War One fliers. The advantage of this feature, however, was that Hurricanes were simple to construct quickly, much quicker than the all-metal Spitfires. In combat, bullets tended to go straight through the fuselage without causing much damage. Additionally the rather thick wing made for easier magazine installation and provided a more stable firing platform for its cannon.
Suffice to say the Hurricane scored more kills in the Battle of Britain than all the other fighters put together.
McKinstry in his painstaking way details the variety of roles undertaken by successive Hurricane marques for the rest of the war, including escort duties across the Baltic to the USSR and service in the African desert (Roald Dahl was a pilot there). Modified models were catapulted from ships to provide fighter cover when escorting convoys and Hurricanes served in other theatres including South East Asia.
An affectionate account of a venerable warhorse to set the record straight. It should be noted that among other such efforts, McKinstry has also written a history of the Spitfire- Spitfire: Portrait of a Legend.
January 13, 2012
This is a very good book on the development and career of the Hawker Hurricane. It's easy to read - striking a good balance between detail and good story-telling. In other words, it doesn't get bogged down in describing minute details.
This book is particularly good in describing the people who were involved with the Hurricane, from designers, test pilots, fighter pilots, ground crew, etc. It goes into their experiences and, for key people in the Hurricane's development, their personalities and quirks.
Regarding the Hurricane's combat career, this book covers its contribution in France, vital role in the Battle of Britain, and subsequent redesignation as fighter-bomber on different fronts in the West and East.
It's a very good read for someone wanting an overview of the Hurricane and its contribution to the war effort.
This book is particularly good in describing the people who were involved with the Hurricane, from designers, test pilots, fighter pilots, ground crew, etc. It goes into their experiences and, for key people in the Hurricane's development, their personalities and quirks.
Regarding the Hurricane's combat career, this book covers its contribution in France, vital role in the Battle of Britain, and subsequent redesignation as fighter-bomber on different fronts in the West and East.
It's a very good read for someone wanting an overview of the Hurricane and its contribution to the war effort.
November 3, 2020
I can't imagine a more honest, comprehensive dive into the development and exercise of the Hurricane. This is the third of McKinstry's airframe histories I have read and the most endearing of the lot. I have a soft spot for machines who succeed while the state-of-the-art passes them by. From pre-war airspeed record setter to second best in the Battle of Britain to Western front obsolescence to Eastern and African front rebirth there was always a role the Hurricane could fill. Somehow this wood and cloth thoroughbred was still busting tanks on the final day of the war in 1945; bravo, Hurricane. Thank you, Leo Mckinstry.
March 16, 2019
Finished while on a plane, fitting.
It lived up to all my expectations from reading Mckinstry's Spitfire book and I have the Lancaster one yet to read.
I can't put into words how much I really enjoy the way these books are wrote and the detail out into them about the planes.
I'm really hoping I'll find more of his to read before I finish Lancaster, definitely a favourite author.
It lived up to all my expectations from reading Mckinstry's Spitfire book and I have the Lancaster one yet to read.
I can't put into words how much I really enjoy the way these books are wrote and the detail out into them about the planes.
I'm really hoping I'll find more of his to read before I finish Lancaster, definitely a favourite author.
May 7, 2020
Informative, Interesting, well written and a brilliant read. Highly recommend it to anyone interested in
aviation.
aviation.
July 15, 2016
McKinstry writes a good yarn and the Hurricane deserves such a paean to its accomplishments during World War II. There is little to quibble with in terms of the material presented, with a welter of technical information, operational history and personal accounts all combined. Obviously the major portion of the book is devoted to the first few years of the Hurricane's development and deployment, including the apogee of its career, during the Battle of Britain. As the Hurricane became less important from 1941 onwards what is written about the aircraft's work as a ground attack fighter bomber and tank buster is more than acceptable.
Also, McKinstry does an excellent job of trying to balance out the bias against the Hurricane that was shown by those more partial to the Spitfire. Whilst not as beautiful nor as fine a machine as the Spit, the Hurricane deserves more credit than it gets and the author does well to rebuke some of the common prejudices against the Hurricane.
My only problem with the book was it failed to give a thorough account of the Hurricane as used by the Finns and Rumanians. Perhaps with such a legendary fighter for the Allied cause it would look out of place giving much page space to its use by ostensible Nazi aligned air forces.
Also, McKinstry does an excellent job of trying to balance out the bias against the Hurricane that was shown by those more partial to the Spitfire. Whilst not as beautiful nor as fine a machine as the Spit, the Hurricane deserves more credit than it gets and the author does well to rebuke some of the common prejudices against the Hurricane.
My only problem with the book was it failed to give a thorough account of the Hurricane as used by the Finns and Rumanians. Perhaps with such a legendary fighter for the Allied cause it would look out of place giving much page space to its use by ostensible Nazi aligned air forces.
August 6, 2012
Opening with an excellent set of chapters that describe not only the Hurricane's designer Sidney Camm, but also the single mindedness of him in getting the Ministry of Defence to accept his fighter which he new was what the country required.
This is then followed by a description of all theatres of war and types of use that the Hurricane in all it's variants was used. Facts and figures are used to underpin the statement that the Hurricane was the saviour in the Battle of Britain, but the author does not gloss over its deficiencies.
If you have read other books on the Battle of Britain you will probably have come across quite a bit of the information presented within (which I did) as the author draws upon other works, but what does make this worth the read is that it also draws on recently made available information from the Ministry of Defence and access to the personal papers of Churchill and other unique (at the time of writing) sources.
If you have not read any other books on the Hurricane then this is a good start, and if you already have then the new insights drawn from new sources are going to be of interest.
This is then followed by a description of all theatres of war and types of use that the Hurricane in all it's variants was used. Facts and figures are used to underpin the statement that the Hurricane was the saviour in the Battle of Britain, but the author does not gloss over its deficiencies.
If you have read other books on the Battle of Britain you will probably have come across quite a bit of the information presented within (which I did) as the author draws upon other works, but what does make this worth the read is that it also draws on recently made available information from the Ministry of Defence and access to the personal papers of Churchill and other unique (at the time of writing) sources.
If you have not read any other books on the Hurricane then this is a good start, and if you already have then the new insights drawn from new sources are going to be of interest.
April 6, 2016
A fine book, enjoyed reading it. And I guess that the author with this book rams it home that the iconic Spitfire did not win the Battle of Britain on its own
I already had fragments of information floating around in the back of my head about the Hurricane having a 'second life' as tank buster in North Africa. But to what extend - and where else - it was used, I did not know.
Highly recommendable
I already had fragments of information floating around in the back of my head about the Hurricane having a 'second life' as tank buster in North Africa. But to what extend - and where else - it was used, I did not know.
Highly recommendable
March 8, 2014
A full history of the less famous Battle of Britain fighter aircraft. It includes some great history from the pilots who flew it- who all seemed to like it.
thanks to Camden libraries
thanks to Camden libraries
September 14, 2014
Well-researched and well-written history of one of the great fighters of the Second World War.
June 28, 2012
thoroughly enjoyable book
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews