In the North African campaign cannon-armed Hurricanes took a heavy toll of Rommel's panzers, as Andrew Thomas describes
Having given up its Lysanders, Egyptian-based 6 Squadron was left with just a single Hurricane I in the spring of 1942. Having assumed command, Sqn Ldr Roger Porteous wondered just how much worse it could get.
Further indignity followed for what was one of the RAF’s most senior units. Based at Landing Ground (LG) 224 in the Western Desert with detachments at other rudimentary airstrips, the squadron was used as a servicing and overhaul outfit, with its pilots carrying out test and ferry flights. Thankfully, the prospects for 6 were about to change.
At this time, Hurricane IIds were being shipped to the Middle East for use in the anti-tank role. The variant was equipped with a pair of 40mm Vickers Type S cannon underwing, each with 15 rounds, plus two 0.303in Browning machine guns within the wings. This armament, low-level operations and the draggy tropical filter under the nose, compromised the Hurricane’s speed. This fell by as much as 50mph (80km) to 288mph.
To the relief of everyone on the unit, 6 Squadron was to re-equip with the tank-busting Hurricanes. Flt Lt Hank Simpson led th…
