Hurricane Mk. II
Important facts and figures
Engine management
- Climb power time limit: 1h.
- Combat power time limit: 5min.
- Supercharger gear shift altitude: 13'000ft.
- Engine water temperature must be kept between 60°C and 125°C.
- Engine water temperature must be kept between 15°C and 90°C.
- Automatic fuel mixture (no pilot input required).
Flying the Hurricane
Out of combat
Startup and taxi
- RPM 100%.
- Throttle 10-15%.
- Yaw trimmer strongly to the right (30-50% according to your preference).
- Begin engine startup sequence.
- For taxiing, be aware that the tailwheel doesn't lock, therefore the plane will need careful handling on the ground.
Takeoff
- Open the radiators for the initial climb to altitude (20% in winter, 60% in summer).
- Smoothly throttle up to full power.
- Takeoff speed is around 100-120mph.
- Once airborne, reduce RPM and throttle until desired climb power is reached. Adjust the yaw trimmer until the slip indicator is centred.
Climb
- Pitch trim to achieve the desired attitude.
- Keep an eye on your radiator temperature and adjust the radiator flaps if necessary.
- Adjust the yaw trimmer until the slip indicator is centred.
- Dont forget to shift your supercharger gear at 13'000ft.
Cruise
- Pitch trim to achieve the desired attitude.
- Keep an eye on your radiator temperature and adjust the radiator flaps if necessary.
- Adjust the yaw trimmer until the slip indicator is centred.
Landing
- Extend flaps below 120mph.
- Landing speed is around 80mph.
- After touchdown, let the plane roll for a little while before applying the brakes.
In combat
Overall
The Hurricane is an interesting plane to fight with, because it has either great strenghts or glaring weaknesses. Therefore, you must carefully pick your fights or mind game your opponents into falling for your trap and flying where you are strong.
Even once it is outclassed by German fighters, its sheer firepower (with Hispanos equipped) means that it remains viable a surprisingly long time either for defending against bombers, or shredding fighters too stupid to stay away from it's guns.
Strengths
- Incredible turn rate.
- Good pitch authority.
- Stable and easy to fly gun platform.
- Good sutained climb rate (for it's speed).
- Good low speed handling.
- When equipped with Hispanos: by far the best armament of all allied planes until the Typhoon and Tempest arrive.
Weaknesses
- Low flat out speed.
- Awful Vne.
- Awful energy retention.
- Can't prop hang.
- Poor roll rate.
- Low ammunition (Hispanos, ShVak) / Negligible damage output (.303).
- Sub par rear visibility.
Flying against the Hurricane
Do this
Abuse his low speed, low Vne and poor roll rate.
Dive on him, follow through and zoom climb away. Once at a safe distance from his guns, turn around and repeat until he fucks up his jinking and you kill him.
If you get stuck at low speed, roll in one direction, then quickly reverse and turn the other way. Use this breathing space to extend (if possible in a dive) and set up an energy advantage over him.
Repect the reach of the Hispanos: they are lethal beyond 500m in the right hands.
Do not do this
Turn fight.