The Hawker Hurricane was the first monoplane to join the Royal Air Force as a fighter aircraft, capable of reaching speeds in excess of 300-mph in level flight. Often compared with the sleek-looking Supermarine Spitfire, the Hurricane, in actuality, shouldered the brunt of the fighting during the "Battle of Britain", equipping more than three-fifths of the RAF's Fighter Command squadrons. When it lost its edge as a dogfighter in 1941, the Hurricane took on a number of other roles, including ground attack missions and maritime combat air patrols.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a RAF Hawker Hurricane Mk. I fighter that was flown by Flt. Lt. Arthur Clowes. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 6-inches
Length: 5-inches

Release Date: October 2020

Historical Account: "Clowes" - On November 23rd, 1939, while sharing in the destruction of a Heinkel He 111, Clowes' Hurricane was struck by a French Curtiss Hawk 75A, losing one of his elevators and most of the rudder. He managed to make a successful landing back at Vassincourt. He was promoted to Flight Sergeant on April 1st, 1940.

On March 29th, 1940, Clowes destroyed two Me110s, on 14th May a Me 109 and a Ju 87, on the 15th a Me 110, on the 23rd he shared a He 111, on June 4th he destroyed a Me 110 and on the 14th he shot down a He 111. The squadron was withdrawn to Tangmere on the 18th and was fully operational again by the end of July. Clowes received a Mention in Dispatches (gazetted July 11th, 1940).

He claimed a He 111 and a Ju 88 destroyed on August 16th, a Me 110 and a He 111 damaged on the 30th, two Do 17s and a Me 110 probably destroyed on the 31st, a Me 110 shot down on 7th September and a Do 17 shared on October 24th .

Awarded the DFM (gazetted August 20th, 1940) for his work in France, Clowes was commissioned in September, promoted to Acting Flight Lieutenant and given command of 'A' Flight on October 10th.

He led No.1's first offensive sortie on January 1st, 1941, strafing German installations between Calais and Boulogne with two other pilots. Clowes was posted to 53 OTU Heston on April 29th, 1941, and was awarded the DFC (gazetted May 13th, 1941).

He commanded 79 Squadron at Baginton from December 1941 to February 1942, 601 Squadron in the Western Desert from August 21st to November 22nd, 1942.

In May 1943, Clowes did a short refresher course at No.1 METS at El Ballah before taking command of 94 Squadron at El Gamil. He relinquished his command in September 1943 after being accidentally blinded in one eye and taken off operational flying.