Hawker Hurricane Mk.1A – Captive Eagle IV, Luftwaffe. Collectors Club 2009

The Corgi Collectors Club Aviation Archive Special for 2009 is 1/72 scale AA32018N: Hawker Hurricane Mk.1A Captive Eagle IV – ‘Flying for the Fuhrer’ Luftwaffe, Code DF + SC Rechlin Magdeburg Evaluation Unit 1942. Limited edition of 1,000 models, some of which were later de-certificated.

Length 5.25 inches Wingspan 6.75 inches

Hurricane Mk.1A was captured at Merville,France in 1940 after a forced landing. It was then restored to flying condition following the Luftwaffe test pilots evaluation at Rechlin in 1942. It subsequently passed to Jagdfliegerschule 2 until it was written off in a flying accident in August 1943. Throughout World War II, aircraft were occasionally captured intact or in repairable condition by both Allied and Axis forces. These aircraft were usually returned to flight for the purpose of testing and evaluation, as well as for covert missions during the war. The model is painted in Luftwaffe markings, with the underside of the aircraft accurately painted bright yellow, to help avoid being mistaken by German gunners as an enemy aircraft.

The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Although largely overshadowed by the Supermarine Spitfire, the aircraft became renowned during the Battle of Britain, accounting for 60% of the RAF’s air victories in the battle, and served in all the major theatres of the Second World War.

The Hurricane was developed by Hawker in response to the Air Ministry specification F.36/34 (modified by F.5/34) for a fighter aircraft built around the new Rolls-Royce engine, then only known as the PV-12, later to become famous as the Merlin. At that time, RAF Fighter Command comprised just 13 squadrons, each equipped with either the Hawker Fury, Hawker Hart variant, or Bristol Bulldog – all biplanes with fixed-pitch wooden propellers and non-retractable undercarriages. The design, started in early 1934, was the work of Sydney Camm. The design evolved through several versions and adaptations, resulting in a series of aircraft which acted as interceptor-fighters, fighter-bombers (also called “Hurribombers”), and ground support aircraft. Further versions known as the Sea Hurricane had modifications which enabled operation from ships. Some were converted as catapult-launched convoy escorts, known as “Hurricats”. More than 14,000 Hurricanes were built by the end of 1944 (including about 1,200 converted to Sea Hurricanes and some 1,400 built in Canada by the Canada Car and Foundry).