Hobby Master 1/48 HA8610 Hawker Hurricane Mk1 V6555 Stanford Tuck 257 Sqn North Weald Oct 40

The Hawker Hurricane was the first British single-engine fighter and the first single wing aircraft with retractable landing gear as well as an enclosed cockpit and 8 machine guns. The Hurricane went into operational service in December 1937 with the RAF 111 Squadron. The Hurricane is usually over looked as a major player in the BoB because of the Spitfire but 80% of the 1,792 German aircraft shot down were because of the Hurricane. There were 14,533 Hurricanes produced in all variants.

Prior to September 11, 1940 Robert Stanford Tuck had been flying Spitfires with No. 92 Squadron. On this date he was posted to the No. 257 (Burma) Squadron as the Commanding Officer and flying Hurricanes. In June 1940 Tuck was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and on October 25, 1940 was awarded a bar to add to his DFC. By the end of 1940 Tuck had accumulated 18 confirmed victories. In December 1940 V6555 suffered severe damage from enemy fire and was replaced by Hurricane P6864.