The Hawker Hurricane in 3Sqn RAAF Service - Page 4
Hurricane V7770
Photo AHMWA, via Flightpath 29/3 Page 55.
A couple of extra photos have turned up showing airframes with the Squadron code of 'OS'. This is a pretty murky shot of V7770 but it seems to be in the standard Temperate camouflage of Dark Earth and Dark Green upper surfaces with Sky lower surfaces. It is hard to tell from the print, but I think it has the standard style of tail flash and the spinner in the usual Black. Note it still carries the Gas Indication markings above each wing, supporting the theory that it has never been repainted from its original Temperate scheme.
Hurricane Mk.I (Trop), V7770, 'OS-A', P.O J.Jackson, Benina, Feb
to Apr 1941.
Temperate camouflage of Dark Earth and Dark Green
upper surfaces with Sky lower surfaces. Spinner and serials
in Black with Medium Sea Grey code letters.
Very unusual shape to the 'A' of the unit codes...
Hurricane V7414
The remaining three examples come from a couple of photos posted at the 'Pacific Victory Roll' website (much recommended to visit). I won't post them here despite the fact that they are legally out of copyright since 1995, but will post the links to where you may view them instead.
Hurricane Mk.I (Trop), V7414, Benina, Feb to Apr 1941.
Temperate camouflage of Dark Earth and Dark Green
upper surfaces with Sky lower surfaces. Spinner is
unusually in Sky and the serials are Black. It
also has an unusual fin flash and is fitted with 'Blinkers'
for night flying.
Go to
http://www.pacificvictoryroll.com/page39.htm and
click photo "Hurricane V7414"
to view.
Harry's caption: "Crash landing of a 3 Squadron Hawker Hurricane
MkI V7414."
Hurricane V7567
Hurricane Mk.I (Trop), V7567, OS-D, Benina, Feb or Mar 1941.
Temperate camouflage of Dark Earth and Dark Green
upper surfaces with Sky lower surfaces. Spinner and
serials in Black with Medium Sea Grey code
letters. Yes, another 'OS' coded airframe.
Go to
http://www.pacificvictoryroll.com/USERIMAGES/Edmunds_p20_1_web(1).jpg to
view a photograph by Harry Edmunds, 3SQN Armament Officer.
Harry's caption: "This 3 Squadron Hurricane (V7567) was used by
S/Ldr Peter Jeffries on 30 March 1941 when he shared in the
destruction of a Bf110 with S/Ldr D Campbell. It was
Jeffries' first claim and he would end the war as an ace.
S/Ldr Campbell was shot down and killed in the same aircraft near
Maraua on 5 April when he was mortally wounded in combat with
Ju87s. In the background is 3 Squadron Hurricane V7558."
Hurricane V7558
The next one is a bit strange, it looks like someone started to add the additional Sky Blue & Brown 'Spaghetti' scheme to the nose, but did not finish the job before it was issued to 3Sqn RAAF (it is believed that these 'Spaghetti' schemes were done at an M.U somewhere before the aircraft were issued to the operational Squadrons).
Hurricane Mk.I(Trop), V7558, Benina, Feb or Mar 1941.
Temperate camouflage of Dark Green/ Dark Earth
upper surfaces with Sky lower surfaces in 'A' pattern (as
you would expect from an even-serialled airframe) but with a
replacement rudder painted in the Desert scheme in 'B'
pattern. The nose has the additional Sky Blue colour,
but there is only a couple of very small patches of Brown
overspray. There also does not look to be any additional
'Spaghetti' paint on the wings though. The spinner is Black
rather than the usual Sky Blue of this scheme. Serials in Black.
Go to
PacificVictoryRoll.com again to view (aircraft in the
background).
Hurricane V6737
I was planning to do one additional profile of airframe V6737, which was often flown by Gordon Steege. It can be seen at the right-hand edge of the attached RAAF Official photo below. I have seen this photo printed somewhere with the nose not cropped off, and it carried the additional 'Spagetti' camo. Unfortunately I have been unable to locate it in the last few days to enable me to view the exact nature of the additional mottling in order to do a detailed profile. If I do relocate it someday, I will do an addendum.
Thanks to AHMWA and Pacific Victory Roll website for publishing those additional 3 Squadron RAAF photos. Two other photos and the photo of V6737 is RAAF Official,
Introduction - Hurricane Page 1