Hi all,
I have been researching ground crew details for a diorama I am planning with a Hawker Hurricane Mk 1 circa 1940. I wanted to have a wheelbeing changed but cannot find any images showing this being done. How did they jack up the airframe for a wheel change? Any assistance would be most welcome.
Thanks
Andy

I found this picture of a Hurricane being restored which at least shows you where the jacking points are. I would imagine that the jackstands are fairly typical of what you'd expect to see at an RAF station.

I think that they also had smaller jackstands that attached to the bottoms of the landing gear leg for doing quick and dirty wheel changes out at the dispersal. I wouldn't want to have to lug those big monster stands farther than across the hangar.

J

i've had a look thru my many hurricane books but cant see anything.

it might be worth you email-ing the shuttleworth collection or the BOB flight and asking them the question as they may have pictures for training purposes...

its worth a try.

paul

Andrew I'll have a look through my books when I come off shift, but as Paul has said you could try BBMF and Shuttleworth.

This picture of a restoration may help, at the bottom of the page is a picture of the Hurricane jacked up and also one of the landing gear with out a wheel on it. Page 5 also shows some more views of the wheel less under carriage.

Sorry, gentlemen, but you're thinking "elfin safety" 21st century, not 1940s. The most common method would see four or five "erks" bend their backs, creep under the wing's underside, then straighten, slightly, lifting the wheel off the ground. If the job could be done quickly, they'd stay there, under strain, but, if it was a longer job, a trestle (remember the "trestle here" legends under the Spitfire wings?) would be slid under a strongpoint; this would, quite possibly on a Hurricane, be where the wing and centre section were joined.
Edgar

ok here we go!
i knew i'd seen a picture and it is in "hurricane at war" by chaz bowyer.

its dated july 1941.

p.s. i've scanned this from the book,if anyone has a copyright issue let me know and i'll delete it.

cheers paul

Even in the 1940s they had correct ways to do things. These should give you some ideas.















Most photographers were only interested in the more glamorous aspects of Air Force. The exception was the Polish Air Force Film Unit who were regular visitors to the bases where they photographed all aspects of airfield activity. Here are some interesting photos of what went on behind the scenes.




The stencilling on Beaufighters included admonishments such as ‘Trestle here for assembly purposes only’ and ‘Trestle of sling here when raising tail of A/C’.






Dawn, 30th March 1944, time to remove the nets and canvas covers from Mosquito FB IV LR313/SM*B



The last covers come off …..



… to reveal LR303/SM*A.







After returning from a sortie, LR328/SM*C is prepared for a through inspection.





Taking the weight of the wheels of PZ383/SM*U

Thank you all. The photos posted are superb and a valuable resource not only for me nut all model makers I hope. The model diorama will have the jack seen in the one picture under the wing root, I only have to make the thing to fit now.
I have decided to make the Give the Hurricane the markings of JX-P as flown by Billy Drake as I have read he died a couple days ago, the only problem is I have searched and searched for the planes serial number and cannot find any reference to this. I have emailed Hendon to see if they have any records, otherwise I see a trip to the IWM to search their records. In the meantime, can anyone help?
Cheers
Andy