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.
Karel Kuttelwascher (nickname Kut) was born in Czechoslovakia and in August 1940 went to England and joined the RAF No. 1 Squadron in October 1940 flying Hurricane Mk. Ia. Kut scored his first RAF victory April 8, 1941. In July 1941 the squadron was re-equipped with Hurricane Mk. IIc and carrying out night intruder missions. Kuttelwascher’s aircraft wore a red banner on the starboard side that said “Night Reaper” and on May 4, 1942 he shot down three He-111’s. Kuttelwascher ended WWII with 18 confirmed victories and two DFC’s.