Long range Hurricane Intruder.

[vinnye]

Whilst looking into the Czech RAF pilots, I came across the Hurricane Night fighter and Intruder aces.
I knew that the Hurricane had been used in the Night Fighter role and was replaced by Beaufighter and Mosquito squadrons. But I was unaware that the Hurricane had been used as a night intruder to attack LW bombers on or near their bases.

 

[mhuxt]

You must have come across Karel Kuttelwascher then, very successful Intruder pilot.

There were a couple others as well, from memory one was a Brit who'd lost his wife in the Blitz, was left thirsting for revenge, eventually came a-cropper.

 

[nuuumannn]

from memory one was a Brit who'd lost his wife in the Blitz, was left thirsting for revenge, eventually came a-cropper.

Pilot Officer Stevens (Stephens?) Can't remember his first name, hated the Germans with a vengeance. Radio operators used to know it was him making an attack as he would let out a blood curdling scream as he sped toward his foe.

 

[vinnye]

From Wiki ;

Following the Battle of Britain, the Hurricane continued to give service, and through the Blitz of 1941, was the principal single-seat night fighter in Fighter Command. F/Lt. Richard Stevens claimed 14 Luftwaffe bombers flying Hurricanes in 1941.

1942 saw the cannon-armed Mk IIc perform further afield in the night intruder role over occupied Europe. F/Lt. Karel Kuttelwascher of 1 Squadron proved the top scorer, with 15 Luftwaffe bombers claimed shot down.

I believe KUT also shot down 3 Bf109's making him the top scoring Czech pilot?

 

[vinnye]

Some interesting reading on the modifications made to the Long Range Hurricane and also pilots recollections etc.
The wartime record of the RAF aircraft known as the Hawker Hurricane IIC

and some info on another Hurricane Intruder ace Squadron Leader James MacLachlan ;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_MacLachlan

 

[stona]

K.M.Kuttelwascher ended up with a score of eighteen, including three He 111s in one night (4th May 1942) around the airfield at St Andre. He was eventually posted to No. 23 Squadron to fly Mosquitos but never increased his score, in fact he never saw another enemy aircraft "in anger".
The fantastically named James Archibald Findley MacLachlan was Kuttelwascher's commanding officer at No. 1 Squadron.
Cheers
Steve

 

[vinnye]

I must admit I have to admire the skill, courage and endurance of theses Intruder pilots - flying on their own, unaided by navigational aids, unable to use maps, flying at low level quite slowly to conserve fuel, and still doing their job - shooting down enemy bombers before finding their way home again!

 

[silence]

Were all the Night Intruder planes painted all-over flat black? I've seen pics of KK's JX-E with a more standard RAF daytime scheme, so I was wondering if they only painted them black after they went to night operations.

 

[silence]

The fantastically named James Archibald Findley MacLachlan was Kuttelwascher's commanding officer at No. 1 Squadron.

No offense but I think only a Brit could come up with a name like that for their child! Wow - he'd get teased to death growing up here in the states!

 

[stona]

Were all the Night Intruder planes painted all-over flat black?

At this time yes, though it was called "Night" or "Special Night" post 1939.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Kevin J]

I must admit I have to admire the skill, courage and endurance of theses Intruder pilots - flying on their own, unaided by navigational aids, unable to use maps, flying at low level quite slowly to conserve fuel, and still doing their job - shooting down enemy bombers before finding their way home again!

You just have to follow the river systems into France from the English channel to find your target. They glow compared with the surrounding countryside.