Hurricane

Hurricane

Abbreviations



Note that where a date is shown against a country or region, i.e. NWAfrica, Malta etc, this is generally the date of a census or return. The aircraft had invariably arrived at that location prior to this date. The exception is when the location appears immediatly after the name of a ship, in which case it is the port/country and date the vessel docked.


Dates are shown in the format dd-mm-yy. Dates recorded in respect of damage are often the date of survey. The accident or incident may have occurred a day or more earlier. Where an accident report or ORB reference is available I have corrected many dates to reflect the date of the actual incident.


Accident entries generally follow the format [cause] [result] [location] [damage category] [date] [pilot] [injury].


Entries in square brackets refer to errors or suspect entries contained in official documents or other sources, or are my comments.


Ship names are shown in inverted commas. Note that many ships used code numbers. For example the Operation Torch ships used code numbers in the R.600 series. Code names such as 'Bluff' and 'Hamble' were also used, in this case referring to the destination rather than ship name. 'Hapmat' was the code word for deliveries to the USSR, 'Hapmat South' being Basrah and 'Hapmat North' Murmansk/Archangel.


Six digit numbers shown in brackets are map references, generally used in the Western Desert.


Individual aircraft squadron codes i.e. 'DW-P' are given when known. Squadron codes (generally the first two letters) were officially allocated to each squadron. Individual aircraft codes were issued by the squadron and no official record was kept. They changed regularly as aircraft moved between squadrons or were lost. These codes can only be identified from photographs, log books, operations record books and other documents and so no comprehensive record exists.


Operations record books record the events within each unit, including aircraft serial numbers and pilot names in most cases. They are highly variable in content and quality and are often unreliable.


The column headings used in the production summary are:

PageCross reference to the web page containing individual aircraft histories
Serial rangeThe start and end serial of each batch. Note that during the war the RAF used  'blackout blocks' within serial ranges in order to disguise the true number of aircraft produced.  Consequently each batch contained blocks of unused serials
QtyThe quantity of aircraft in the range
FacThe factory where the aircraft were produced:
HHawker Aircraft Ltd (Kingston, Brooklands, Langley)
GGloster Aircraft Co. Ltd (Brockworth)
CCanadian Car & Foundry (Montreal, Fort William)
AAustin Motor Co. (Longbridge)
ContractThe contract number
CommentsDetails of cancelled batches and other comments

The column headings used in the detailed production list are:

SerialAircraft serial
MarkMark number
EngineThe engine model. M=Merlin PM=Packard-Merlin
HistoryThe unit and squadron history, and fate of the aircraft. Refer to the abbreviations below for an explanation of terms.

Units and locations referred to in the production list:

AAEEAeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment
AASAir Armament School
ABGSAir Bombing and Gunnery School
ACAir Corps
ACSEAAir Command South East Asia
ADAircraft Depot
ADFAircraft Delivery Flight
ADUAircraft Delivery Unit
AEAFAllied Expeditionary Air Force
AFAir Force
AFDUAir Fighting Development Unit
AFSAdvanced Flying School
AGSAir Gunners School
AHQAirfield Headquarters
AlsaceFree French Air Force Squadron (GC.1)
ANSAir Navigation School
APCArmament Practice Camp
APSArmament Practice Station
APUAircraft Preparation Unit
ASPAir Stores Park
ASRAir Sea Rescue
ASTAir Service Training
ATAAir Transport Auxiliary
ATOAirtraining Oxford (Civilian Repair Org)
ATPAircraft Transit Pool
BSDUBomber Support Development Unit
CAACUCivilian Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation Unit
CACFCoast Artillery Co-Operation Flight/Unit
CCFCheck and Conversion Flight/Command Communications Flight
CCFAUCoastal Command Fighter Affiliation Unit
CFCommunications Flight
CFECentral Fighter Establishment
CFFCombined Forces France
CGSCentral Gunnery School
CICFrench Fighter Instruction Centre (Meknes)
CMUCivilian Maintenance Unit
CommsCommunications
CROCivilian Repair Organisation
CRSCentral Radio School
CRUCivilian Repair Unit
CTUCombat Training Unit
CUConversion Unit
DAFDesert Air Force
DDL(Aerodrome) Dummy Deck Landing
DelFltDelivery Flight
EC.French Air Force Wing (Escadron de Chasse)
ECFSEmpire Central Flying School
EFTSElementary Flying Training School
EPEquipment Park
FAAFleet Air Arm
FARSUForward Area Repair and Salvage Unit
FDFFighter Defence Flight
FFAFFree French Air Force
FFSFire Fighting School
FISFlying Instructors School
FltFlight
FPFerry Pool (ATA)
FPPFerry Pilots Pool Organisation
FRDForward Repair Depot
FRSFlying Refresher School
FS/FGFighter Squadron/Fighter Group (USAAF)
FTSFlying Training School
FTUFerry Training & Aircraft Despatch Unit
FUFerry Unit
GC.French Air Force Squadron (Groupe de Chasse)
GCFGroup Communication Flight
GDCGroup Disbandment Centre
GPGroup Pool
GrpGroup
GSUGroup Support Unit
HALHeston Aircraft Ltd
HCUHeavy Conversion Unit
IAFIndian Air Force
LMSLondon Midland and Scottish Railway (repair depot)
MAAFMediterranean Allied Air Forces
MACAFMediterranean Air Command Air Force
MEMiddle East
MECCUMiddle East Check and Conversion Unit
MedMediterranean
Met FlightMeteorological Flight
METSMiddle East Training School
ML-KNILRoyal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
MNFUMalta Night Fighter Unit
MSFUMerchant Ship Fighter Unit. List of CAM ships
MUMaintenance Unit
NAAFNorth African Air Force
NACAFNorthwest African Coastal Air Force
NWANorth West Africa
OADUOverseas Aircraft Despatch Unit
OCUOperational Conversion Unit
OTUOperational Training Unit
PAFU(Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
PATPPacked Aircraft Transit Pool
PDUPhotographic Development Unit
PFPractice Flight
PRFU(Pilot) Refresher Flying Unit
PRUPhotographic Reconnaissance Unit
PurgatoryStorage of aircraft with wings removed
RAAFRoyal Australian Air Force
RAERoyal Aircraft Establishment
RATGRhodesian Air Training Scheme
RCAFRoyal Canadian Air Force
REAFRoyal Egyptian Air Force
RHAFRoyal Hellenic Air Force
RNASRoyal Naval Air Station
RNoAFRoyal Norwegian Air Force
Robin SitesDispersed storage (e.g. Starveall Farm, Slade Farm, Down Farm)
R-RHRolls Royce Hucknall
ROSRepair On Site Parties (Came under the control of MU's)
RSURepair & Salvage Sections/Units
SAAFSouth African Air Force
SqSquadron
SCSalvage Centre
SDFSpecial Duties Flight
SEU/SEPSpecial Erection Unit/Party (Gibraltar)
SFTSService Flying Training School
SGRSchool Of General Reconnaissance
SigSchSignals School
SLAISSpecialised Low Attack Instructors School
SLGSatellite Landing Grounds
SOTTSchool Of Technical Training
SPStaging Post
SUServicing Unit
TAF2nd Tactical Air Force
TEUTactical Exercise Units
TFUTelecommunications Flying Unit
WgWing

RAF Squadron to French Squadron cross-ref:

326SqGC 2/7 'Nice'
327SqGC 1/3 'Corse'
328SqGC 1/7 'Provence'
329SqGC 1/2 'Cicognes'
340SqGC 4/2 'Ile de France'
341SqGC 3/2 'Alsace'
345SqGC 2/2 'Berry'

Principal Ranks

F/OFlying Officer
1/OFirst Officer (ATA)
LtLieutenant
P/OPilot Officer
S/OSecond Officer (ATA)
SgtSergeant
SqLdrSquadron Leader
W/OWarrant Officer
WgCdrWing Commander

Other abbreviations:

+Killed
1 2 3 4Damage categories
Ac CA CB CEDamage categories
AIR 81Accident report file (National Archives)
AM78Aircraft movement card
AM1180Aircraft accident card
AW/CNAwaiting collection
bbocBrought back on charge
berBeyond economic repair
CvConverted
dbfDestroyed by fire
DoIDied of injuries
DoWDied of wounds
e/fEngine failed
FAFlying accident (followed by Damage Category: CE = Writeoff)
FFFirst flew
FHFlying hours
f/lForced landing
FTRFailed to return
GAGround accident (followed by category)
GDA(43GDA) Group Deposit Account (accounting transfer when aircraft damaged and taken off the books of the squadron)
injInjured
LSLiner Service (when preceding ship code)
miMajor inspection
mrMajor repair
neaNon effective aircraft
o/tOverturned
PoWPrisoner of War
PSOCPresumed struck off charge
RNDARoyal Naval Deposit Account
riwRepaired in works
rosRepaired on site
rtp/rtsReduced to parts/spares
ser injSeriously injured
sasServicing Aircraft Section
slt injSlightly injured
SOCStruck off (RAF) Charge
t/oTake-off
u/cUndercarriage