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includes two resin and metal Hurricane aircraft, two plastic flight stands, one decal sheet and one Unit card. Based on the Royal Air Force's most numerous single-seat fighter, the Hawker IID tank buster is nicknamed the ‘Flying Can Opener’. A Vickers S gun beneath each wing fires 40mm armour-piercing ammunition. Each is mounted under a machine-gun firing tracer rounds to aid with sighting, making them accurate and deadly. Check out the Hurricane Tank-Busting Flight in the online store here... |
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Armoured Fist The British Army has the Italian-German armies in Africa caught in a vice, and are steadily screwing the jaws shut. The Eighth Army is advancing from El Alamein in the east, while the First Army fights its way through Tunisia from the west. Their armoured divisions combine the dash of fast, light tanks like the Honey and Crusader, with the power of the heavy Grant and Sherman. Their infantry divisions have some of the toughest riflemen in the world, backed up by thickly-armoured Churchill and Valentine tanks and massed artillery. Together, they make up a force that can defeat anything the enemy brings against them, a force that will destroy the Axis forces in Africa. Learn more about Armoured Fist here... |
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| They served in North Africa from mid-1942 where they achieved considerable success; claims included 148 tanks hit, of which 47 were destroyed, plus nearly 200 other vehicles. | |
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Hurricanes were used in ground support, where it was quickly learned that destroying German tanks was difficult; the cannons did not have the performance needed, while bombing the tanks was almost impossible. |
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| The solution was to equip the aircraft with a 40 mm cannon in a pod under each wing, reducing the other armament to a single Browning in each wing loaded with tracers for aiming purposes. | |
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| The Hurricanes No. 6 Squadron, the first squadron equipped with this armament, were so effective that the squadron was nicknamed the "Flying Can Openers". A winged can-opener became an unofficial squadron emblem, and is painted on present-day aircraft of 6 Squadron. | |
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| The layout was originally tested on a converted Mk IIB and flew on 18 September 1941. A new-build version of what was known as the Mk IID started in 1942, including additional armour for the pilot, radiator and engine. The aircraft were initially supplied with a Rolls-Royce gun and carried 12 rounds, but soon changed to the 40 mm (1.57 in) Vickers S gun with 15 rounds. | |
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| The IID undertook an anti-tank role in limited numbers during the North African campaign where, provided enemy flak and fighters were absent, they proved accurate and highly effective, not only against armoured vehicles but all motor transport. | |
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| Contact the customer service team at customerservice@battlefront.co.nz if you have issues with any components. |
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| Hurricane Tank-Busting Flight Unit Card (x1) | Decal Sheet |
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| Flight Stands (x2) | Tall Flight Stand Add-ons (x2) |
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