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In late 1938, as World War II loomed over Europe, Great Britain was concerned over the safety of
their aircraft factories.
The Hurricane was regarded as such an important weapon to the British, that early in 1939, the
British Air Ministry contracted with the Canadian Car and Foundry Co., Ltd. (sometimes referred to as
CCF, or CC&F, or CanCar) of Montreal, Canada to build what would amount to a total of 1,451
Hurricanes and Sea Hurricanes.
The RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) had received 19- Hurricane I’s built by Hawker Aircraft in
England, before the War started. On 2 March 1939 the British Air Ministry released a manufacturing
pattern aircraft (L1848) along with complete plans on microfilm; to be shipped to Canada.
Production of the Canadian-built Hurricanes took place at the CanCar factory in Fort William,
(now called Thunder Bay) in the Province of Ontario.
The first Canadian-built Hurricane I (seen below on 8 January 1940) flew its maiden flight at Bishop's
Field, Fort William, Ontario, Canada on 10 January 1940.
their aircraft factories.
The Hurricane was regarded as such an important weapon to the British, that early in 1939, the
British Air Ministry contracted with the Canadian Car and Foundry Co., Ltd. (sometimes referred to as
CCF, or CC&F, or CanCar) of Montreal, Canada to build what would amount to a total of 1,451
Hurricanes and Sea Hurricanes.
The RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) had received 19- Hurricane I’s built by Hawker Aircraft in
England, before the War started. On 2 March 1939 the British Air Ministry released a manufacturing
pattern aircraft (L1848) along with complete plans on microfilm; to be shipped to Canada.
Production of the Canadian-built Hurricanes took place at the CanCar factory in Fort William,
(now called Thunder Bay) in the Province of Ontario.
The first Canadian-built Hurricane I (seen below on 8 January 1940) flew its maiden flight at Bishop's
Field, Fort William, Ontario, Canada on 10 January 1940.
| Photo courtesy of Canada Car & Foundry Archives |
The first batch of 40 Canadian-built Hurricanes were built with materials provided by Great Britain
and used Rolls-Royce Merlin III engines, three-bladed de Havilland, Hamilton Hydromatic propellers,
and were simply referred to as Canadian Mark I’s.
These 40 initial Canadian-built Hurricanes were shipped to Great Britain between the months of
March and August 1940.
The later main-production Canadian-built Hurricanes; were built with Canadian materials and had
their own variant designations.
The Mark X, was basically a Mark IIB with an American, Packard-built, Merlin 28 engine, fitted with
the American, Hamilton Hydromatic, three-bladed propeller and eight-gun wings.
AM 274 was one of the first Hurricanes, in a batch of one hundred Hurricane Mark X's, built with
serial numbers AM 270 to AM 369, in the third production block built by Canadian Car & Foundry
between March 1942 and January 1943 under British Contract C45.
The aircraft in this batch were allotted the serial numbers:
* BJ284 to BJ323 (40),
* BJ332 to BJ351 (20) and
* BJ369 to BJ408 (40).
Later, they were re-allotted to fall in line with allocations to the British Purchasing Commission in the
United Kingdom.
Once completed, these 100-Hurricane Mark X’s were crated, then loaded onto flat beds to be shipped
from Fort Williams, Ontario to Halifax, Nova Scotia where they were then loaded onto merchant
ships that sailed in convoys to Great Britain.
AM 274 was put aboard one of the 37-merchant ships that sailed in Convoy HX180. This convoy
departed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on 15 March 1942 and arrived in Liverpool, England on
27 March 1942 without suffering any losses during the voyage.
and used Rolls-Royce Merlin III engines, three-bladed de Havilland, Hamilton Hydromatic propellers,
and were simply referred to as Canadian Mark I’s.
These 40 initial Canadian-built Hurricanes were shipped to Great Britain between the months of
March and August 1940.
The later main-production Canadian-built Hurricanes; were built with Canadian materials and had
their own variant designations.
The Mark X, was basically a Mark IIB with an American, Packard-built, Merlin 28 engine, fitted with
the American, Hamilton Hydromatic, three-bladed propeller and eight-gun wings.
AM 274 was one of the first Hurricanes, in a batch of one hundred Hurricane Mark X's, built with
serial numbers AM 270 to AM 369, in the third production block built by Canadian Car & Foundry
between March 1942 and January 1943 under British Contract C45.
The aircraft in this batch were allotted the serial numbers:
* BJ284 to BJ323 (40),
* BJ332 to BJ351 (20) and
* BJ369 to BJ408 (40).
Later, they were re-allotted to fall in line with allocations to the British Purchasing Commission in the
United Kingdom.
Once completed, these 100-Hurricane Mark X’s were crated, then loaded onto flat beds to be shipped
from Fort Williams, Ontario to Halifax, Nova Scotia where they were then loaded onto merchant
ships that sailed in convoys to Great Britain.
AM 274 was put aboard one of the 37-merchant ships that sailed in Convoy HX180. This convoy
departed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on 15 March 1942 and arrived in Liverpool, England on
27 March 1942 without suffering any losses during the voyage.
Although it is unknown if the Hurricane Mark X’s identified as AM 271, AM 272 and AM 278 were
shipped on the same vessel as AM 274, we know they were all shipped in Convoy HX180. Upon
arrival in Liverpool, the still crated AM 274 was unloaded along with her sister Mark X’s, and they
were all transported south and east to the Home Aircraft Depot at RAF Henlow in Bedfordshire,
England.
In late 1938 the Home Aircraft Depot at RAF Henlow became No. 13 Maintenance Unit (or 13MU)
and was responsible for repairing, modifying, and assembling aircraft that served on the front lines
throughout World War II. A little more than 1,000 of the Hurricanes built at Canadian Car &
Foundry passed through 13MU before being dispatched to front line units.
According to the Royal Air Force Air Ministry Aircraft Movement Form 78 (AM Form 78 … as seen
below) AM 274 was taken on charge by 13MU on 6 April 1942. On 3 July 1942, AM 274 is listed as
having RIW (Repairs In Works) that were apparently completed at 13MU by a CRO (Civilian Repair
Organisation). AM 274 stayed at 13MU for significantly longer than the other Hurricanes that were
there simply to be assembled.
shipped on the same vessel as AM 274, we know they were all shipped in Convoy HX180. Upon
arrival in Liverpool, the still crated AM 274 was unloaded along with her sister Mark X’s, and they
were all transported south and east to the Home Aircraft Depot at RAF Henlow in Bedfordshire,
England.
In late 1938 the Home Aircraft Depot at RAF Henlow became No. 13 Maintenance Unit (or 13MU)
and was responsible for repairing, modifying, and assembling aircraft that served on the front lines
throughout World War II. A little more than 1,000 of the Hurricanes built at Canadian Car &
Foundry passed through 13MU before being dispatched to front line units.
According to the Royal Air Force Air Ministry Aircraft Movement Form 78 (AM Form 78 … as seen
below) AM 274 was taken on charge by 13MU on 6 April 1942. On 3 July 1942, AM 274 is listed as
having RIW (Repairs In Works) that were apparently completed at 13MU by a CRO (Civilian Repair
Organisation). AM 274 stayed at 13MU for significantly longer than the other Hurricanes that were
there simply to be assembled.
There is no AM Form 1180 (Air Ministry Aircraft Accident Form 1180) available in the RAF museum
archives in London to show that AM 274 had been involved in any air accident, yet the aircraft
remained at 13MU for a total of seven months.
It is believed that AM 274, along with AM 271, AM 272, and AM 278 all suffered Category B-level
damage while in transit from Canada to Great Britain. These four-Hurricanes may have been
damaged by poor handling, storage and/or rough seas during their Transatlantic voyage.
(During disassembly for restoration, it was discovered that AM 274 had its port side, Canadian
built, landing-gear leg fairing, replaced with a British-built fairing.
It was also discovered that the port side trailing edge, on the center section, had been rebuilt using
various Mark ribs [Mk X, Mk IIb & Mk IIc] while the starboard side was built using ONLY
Mark IIB ribs.
These discoveries further confirm that AM 274 suffered damage that may have contributed to the
prolonged stay at 13MU in 1942.
Another bit of damage was discovered on the starboard side, center section, wing-attach fitting.
Somewhere along the way it has been grazed by something {a bullet perhaps?} that made an
indentation in the fitting. This particular damage could not have happened during transport
without also damaging the center section itself. Was the original center section replaced at 13MU,
and only the fittings re-used? Or was the grazed fitting salvaged off another damaged center
section sent to CC&F for re-build, and then used on the original AM 274 center section?
These questions will probably never be answered with any real certainty!)
It seems quite likely that the original Merlin 28 that had been installed on AM 274 before leaving
CanCar, was reissued to another MU or unit during the time AM 274 was being assembled and
repaired at 13MU. By the time all the repairs had been made to AM 274, she was re-engined with a
Rolls-Royce Merlin XX (41957 / A219526).
This engine was one of 500 MkXX that had been built in Derby (Derbyshire, England) between
21 December 1940 and 18 August 1941, as Order No. 4700 under contract B67980/40. This engine
was completed on 19 August, passed on 22 August and dispatched on 23 August to Hawkers at
Langley (Berkshire, England) and most likely fitted to a new Hurricane there. After having completed
200 hours or so, 41597 was overhauled by Rolls-Royce Glasgow where it was completed on
28 March 1942, just days before AM 274 arrived at 13MU.
AM 274 was also fitted with a Rotol propeller with three wooden blades; and Mark IIB wings that
carried twelve 7.7 mm. Brownings. These wings had stores pylons below the wings to carry either
one-250 lb. OR one-500 lb. bomb beneath each wing. These wings were also able to carry one-45
gallon OR one-90 gallon auxiliary fuel tank (also called 'drop tank') below each wing if needed. They
could carry any configuration of two ~ one under each wing ~ depending on what the needs actually
were ... one bomb and one drop tank, two bombs, or two drop tanks!
Finally, according to the RAF AM Form 78, on 28 November 1942, AM 274 was confirmed;
alterations completed; air tested and she was then ready AW/CN (awaiting collection).
On 5 December 1942, AM 274 was flown west and slightly south to 10MU at RAF Hullavington,
Wiltshire, England.
Five days later it flew the short journey south and east to 76MU, a Packing Depot based at RAF
Wroughton, also in Wiltshire. It was here that AM 274 was once again crated in preparation for
shipment under lend-lease agreements to the Soviet Union.
archives in London to show that AM 274 had been involved in any air accident, yet the aircraft
remained at 13MU for a total of seven months.
It is believed that AM 274, along with AM 271, AM 272, and AM 278 all suffered Category B-level
damage while in transit from Canada to Great Britain. These four-Hurricanes may have been
damaged by poor handling, storage and/or rough seas during their Transatlantic voyage.
(During disassembly for restoration, it was discovered that AM 274 had its port side, Canadian
built, landing-gear leg fairing, replaced with a British-built fairing.
It was also discovered that the port side trailing edge, on the center section, had been rebuilt using
various Mark ribs [Mk X, Mk IIb & Mk IIc] while the starboard side was built using ONLY
Mark IIB ribs.
These discoveries further confirm that AM 274 suffered damage that may have contributed to the
prolonged stay at 13MU in 1942.
Another bit of damage was discovered on the starboard side, center section, wing-attach fitting.
Somewhere along the way it has been grazed by something {a bullet perhaps?} that made an
indentation in the fitting. This particular damage could not have happened during transport
without also damaging the center section itself. Was the original center section replaced at 13MU,
and only the fittings re-used? Or was the grazed fitting salvaged off another damaged center
section sent to CC&F for re-build, and then used on the original AM 274 center section?
These questions will probably never be answered with any real certainty!)
It seems quite likely that the original Merlin 28 that had been installed on AM 274 before leaving
CanCar, was reissued to another MU or unit during the time AM 274 was being assembled and
repaired at 13MU. By the time all the repairs had been made to AM 274, she was re-engined with a
Rolls-Royce Merlin XX (41957 / A219526).
This engine was one of 500 MkXX that had been built in Derby (Derbyshire, England) between
21 December 1940 and 18 August 1941, as Order No. 4700 under contract B67980/40. This engine
was completed on 19 August, passed on 22 August and dispatched on 23 August to Hawkers at
Langley (Berkshire, England) and most likely fitted to a new Hurricane there. After having completed
200 hours or so, 41597 was overhauled by Rolls-Royce Glasgow where it was completed on
28 March 1942, just days before AM 274 arrived at 13MU.
AM 274 was also fitted with a Rotol propeller with three wooden blades; and Mark IIB wings that
carried twelve 7.7 mm. Brownings. These wings had stores pylons below the wings to carry either
one-250 lb. OR one-500 lb. bomb beneath each wing. These wings were also able to carry one-45
gallon OR one-90 gallon auxiliary fuel tank (also called 'drop tank') below each wing if needed. They
could carry any configuration of two ~ one under each wing ~ depending on what the needs actually
were ... one bomb and one drop tank, two bombs, or two drop tanks!
Finally, according to the RAF AM Form 78, on 28 November 1942, AM 274 was confirmed;
alterations completed; air tested and she was then ready AW/CN (awaiting collection).
On 5 December 1942, AM 274 was flown west and slightly south to 10MU at RAF Hullavington,
Wiltshire, England.
Five days later it flew the short journey south and east to 76MU, a Packing Depot based at RAF
Wroughton, also in Wiltshire. It was here that AM 274 was once again crated in preparation for
shipment under lend-lease agreements to the Soviet Union.
Photograph used with permission and copyrighted by: www.fotoflite.com
RAF AM Form 78 records AM 274 at Hull (Yorkshire, England) on 28 December 1942. We presume at
the docks, where she was eventually loaded on board the merchant ship SS Dan-y-Bryn, along with
other lend lease aircraft and supplies.
Research has shown that they were part of the North Cape Convoy JW52. The records we have
located indicate Convoy JW52 departed on 17 January 1943... but the PORT OF DEPARTURE
varies from one record to the next. Some records indicate it was Loch Ewe, Scotland, while others
indicate it was Liverpool, England.
The American merchant ship SS Cornelius Harnett (also in this convoy) stated they had made their way
to Gourock, Scotland where the,
“... pre-sailing conference for the Murmanks run as Convoy JW52 met on 17 January 1943”.
Gourock is between Liverpool and Loch Ewe along the western coast of the United Kingdom. Hull,
on the other hand, is along the eastern coast of England. Apparently the SS Dan-y-Bryn sailed
southward around the southern tip of England and up the west coast, in order to join the Convoy
somewhere along the way between Liverpool … Gourock … and Loch Ewe.
The 15-Merchant vessel, North Cape Convoy JW52 was comprised of:
4-American [Cornelius Harnett, Delsud, Gulfwing and Nicholas Gilman];
1-Panamanian [El Oriente] and
10-British [Atlantic, Dan-y-Bryn, Empire Baffin, Empire Clarion, Empire Portia, Empire Snow,
Empire Tristram, Ocean Faith, Oligarch, and Temple Arch] vessels.
These ships were accompanied by, a military escort of 26-ships from the Royal Navy:
2- ASW Trawlers [HMS Northern Pride, HMS St. Elstan];
1-Battleship [HMS Anson];
2-Corvettes [HMS Lotus, HMS Starwort];
13-Destroyers [HMS Bulldog, HMS Beagle, HMS Echo, HMS Eclipse, HMS Faulknor, HMS Inglefield,
HMS Matchless, HMS Montrose, HMS Musketeer, HMS Offa, HMS Onslaught,
HMS Queenborough, HMS Raider];
3-Escort Destroyers [HMS Blankney, HMS Ledbury, HMS Middleton];
1-Heavy Cruiser [HMS Kent];
3-Light Cruisers [HMS Bermuda, HMS Glasgow, HMS Sheffield];
1-Minesweeper [HMS Britomart]; and
2-Polish destroyers [ORP Orkan, ORP Piorun].
Not all of these ships were with the convoy for the entire trip, but rather they served as military cover
for the convoy as they passed through specific waters.
Just seven days into their journey, on 24 January 1943, the convoy was in the Barents Sea between
Iceland and Norway when they became the target of an aerial attack by three Heinkel-115 torpedo
bombers.
SS Dan-Y-Bryn was in the lead row, second ship in from port. All three ships in the port column
were active in the battle, and managed to shoot down one of these Heinkels, and disable another. The
third Heinkel was shot at, but it was not known if they damaged it as severely as they had the other
two.
(2009 research initiated by Mark Sheppard of Great Britain, indicates that the third Heinkel
probably made it safely back to it's airfield as only two Heinkel-115's of 1./406 were reported lost
with both crews that day.)
More air raids followed over the next three days, but SS Dan-Y-Bryn arrived safely in Murmansk,
Russia on 27 January 1943.
As with many of the Hurricanes supplied to Russia during World War II, after arriving in Murmansk,
AM 274 was re-assembled once again, then refitted with Soviet-built armament. The twelve-7.7 mm.
Brownings were removed, new gun mounts were fitted and parts of the wing structure were altered to
accommodate the changes. Shell casing chutes and machine gun exit holes were riveted over and new
shell casing chutes and gun apertures were formed in order to accommodate two-ShVAK-20 mm.
cannons and two-UBT-12.7 mm. (0.50 caliber) heavy machine guns.
Re-arming the Russian Hurricane was partly due to the lack of Western ammunition supplies.
Nevertheless, the high rate of fire of Soviet automatic weapons … about half again as great as their
Western equivalents … gave the Russian re-armed Hurricanes a fairly nasty bite!
AM 274 was fitted with a Tropical chin cowl. It is unclear whether this was undertaken in Great
Britain or Russia, but we know this tropical filter was definitely not fitted in Canada.
(Some people tend to believe this chin cowl was marked with the original serial number of AM 271.
To them, it appears the ‘1’ may have been altered to a ‘4’. This would have been to confirm its
fitment on the airframe of AM 274, if this were actually the case. We know the Hurricane AM 271
was built at CanCar, shipped to England, assembled and repaired at 13MU, and then shipped to
Russia as a part of the lend/lease program in roughly the same time frame that AM 274 was,
therefore making this assumption a valid possibility. However, upon close inspection of the
markings on this cowl, it does not appear the markings were made at two separate times. The paint
color as well as the width and consistency of the brush strokes all appear to have been made at one
time. Without any actual record to go on, this will be one area of pure speculation!)
The British roundels and fin flashes were painted out and in their place Russian stars were applied.
The fuselage sides were most likely painted with a thin white outline around the stars, while the under-
wings were just the basic red star. No stars were applied to the upper wing services. The original
tactical number for AM 274 is not currently known.
In late February 1943, AM 274 was placed into service in the 2nd squadron, 78th Fighter Air
Regiment of the Naval Air Forces of the Russian Northern Fleet (78IAP VVS) based at Vaenga. This
was the same airfield where the first Hurricanes of 151Wing RAF operated and educated the VVS to
the Hurricanes worth, some 18 months earlier.
The missions undertaken by AM 274 during the spring of 1943 are currently unknown to us. There
were no damage listings to be found, so she apparently survived unmarked until her final mission.
Research provided by Rune Rautio, Andreas Brekken and Kari Lamppio gives us the following
detailed account of what happened the day AM 274 was lost.
19 June 1943
00.40 Moscow Time (MT)
A Soviet ground observation unit reported a German convoy of:
3-transports,
5-guard vessels,
2-armed trawlers and
1-cutter between Kirkenes and Petasmo in the Kobbholm Fjord.
Air cover was being provided by:
4-[Focke-Wulf] FW-190’s and
3-[Heinkle] He-115's.
The convoy was heading for Petsamo. Additional protection of the convoy was provided by
other units who attacked the shore battery at Fisherman’s Inlet.
02.10 MT
Naval Air Forces, Soviet Northern Fleet (VVS SF) launched an attack against the convoy with:
4-[Ilyushin] Il-2's from 3./46SHAP,
6-[Yakovlev] Yak-1’s from 20IAP,
8-Hawker Hurricanes from 2./78IAP and
8-[Bell] P-39 [Airacobra]’s from 255IAP.
02.47-03.15 MT
113th Artillery Division shore battery fire upon the convoy.
03.00 MT
Upon attacking the convoy, the Soviet Force was met by 14-fighters over Bol Volkovaja Bay
(Petsamo). The Luftwaffe unit is thought to be [Messerschmitt] Bf-109’s from III Gruppe JG5
based at Petsamo. German AA hit one Il-2 that managed to return to its lines and force landed
at Pummanki airfield. It turned into a very one-sided combat with five-Hurricanes destroyed
and two more damaged as detailed below. The Hawker Hurricane AM 274 was one of these
aircraft.
Local time 01.55 (2.55MT)
Hurricane KX 144 piloted by Jr. Lt V. A. Nazarov was shot down. Nazarov bailed out and was
pulled from the water by a Soviet MBT boat, he was okay but the Hurricane was listed as a
100% loss.
Local time 01.55 (2.55MT)
Hurricane KW 730 piloted by Jr. Lt. P. V. Gapilokov was shot down. Gapilokov was killed and
the Hurricane was listed as a 100% loss.
Local time 01.55 (2.55MT)
Hurricane KX 404 piloted by Jr. Lt. N. T. Starosvetskij was shot down. Starosvetskij was killed
and the Hurricane was listed as a 100% loss.
Local time 01.55 (2.55MT)
Hurricane AM 274 piloted by Jr. Lt. J. I. Maslennikov was hit. Maslennikov force landed on the
Rybachiy Peninsula where he was rescued by Soviet infantry troops but the Hurricane was listed
as a 100% loss.
Local time 01.55 (2.55MT)
Hurricane KX 488 piloted by Jr. Lt. F. M. Kasanov was shot down. Kasanov was killed and the
Hurricane was listed as a 100% loss.
AM 274 was flown by Jr. Lieutenant Jurij Ivanovich Maslennikov. During this aerial combat AM 274
was severely damaged. The propeller was hit. The starboard fuel tank was penetrated and exploded.
The engine block and coolant lines were also penetrated.
Jr. Lieutenant Maslennikov, was either very skilled, or very lucky as he was able to return back over
the bay and managed to belly land the damaged AM 274 on the tundra on the Rybachiy Peninsula.
The landing gear was still retracted, but the flaps were fully down, and the propeller still rotating as
AM 274 headed for solid ground.
If we could have watched AM 274 on the way down, we would have seen black, oil-smoke billowing
from the port-side of the engine cowling. This was caused when a bullet entered the crankcase just
aft of the generator.
We also would have seen a Glycol cloud of steam escaping just aft of the pilot seat on the starboard
side. This was from the bullet that penetrated the glycol thermostat.
Luckily for Maslennikov, the Rybachiy Peninsula was in Soviet hands. Though largely uninhabited,
there were a number of Soviet units there, one of which rescued him. There are no further listings of
Maslennikov being wounded or killed in the North.
The Hawker Hurricane AM 274 remained where she crashed that day, exposed to the elements in the
cold north of the Arctic Circle for another 48 years. The fabric and wooden structure gradually rotted
away. Over the years following World War II, elements of the aircraft disappeared (they may have been
scavenged for souveniers) until just the main structural shell was left in the end.
the docks, where she was eventually loaded on board the merchant ship SS Dan-y-Bryn, along with
other lend lease aircraft and supplies.
Research has shown that they were part of the North Cape Convoy JW52. The records we have
located indicate Convoy JW52 departed on 17 January 1943... but the PORT OF DEPARTURE
varies from one record to the next. Some records indicate it was Loch Ewe, Scotland, while others
indicate it was Liverpool, England.
The American merchant ship SS Cornelius Harnett (also in this convoy) stated they had made their way
to Gourock, Scotland where the,
“... pre-sailing conference for the Murmanks run as Convoy JW52 met on 17 January 1943”.
Gourock is between Liverpool and Loch Ewe along the western coast of the United Kingdom. Hull,
on the other hand, is along the eastern coast of England. Apparently the SS Dan-y-Bryn sailed
southward around the southern tip of England and up the west coast, in order to join the Convoy
somewhere along the way between Liverpool … Gourock … and Loch Ewe.
The 15-Merchant vessel, North Cape Convoy JW52 was comprised of:
4-American [Cornelius Harnett, Delsud, Gulfwing and Nicholas Gilman];
1-Panamanian [El Oriente] and
10-British [Atlantic, Dan-y-Bryn, Empire Baffin, Empire Clarion, Empire Portia, Empire Snow,
Empire Tristram, Ocean Faith, Oligarch, and Temple Arch] vessels.
These ships were accompanied by, a military escort of 26-ships from the Royal Navy:
2- ASW Trawlers [HMS Northern Pride, HMS St. Elstan];
1-Battleship [HMS Anson];
2-Corvettes [HMS Lotus, HMS Starwort];
13-Destroyers [HMS Bulldog, HMS Beagle, HMS Echo, HMS Eclipse, HMS Faulknor, HMS Inglefield,
HMS Matchless, HMS Montrose, HMS Musketeer, HMS Offa, HMS Onslaught,
HMS Queenborough, HMS Raider];
3-Escort Destroyers [HMS Blankney, HMS Ledbury, HMS Middleton];
1-Heavy Cruiser [HMS Kent];
3-Light Cruisers [HMS Bermuda, HMS Glasgow, HMS Sheffield];
1-Minesweeper [HMS Britomart]; and
2-Polish destroyers [ORP Orkan, ORP Piorun].
Not all of these ships were with the convoy for the entire trip, but rather they served as military cover
for the convoy as they passed through specific waters.
Just seven days into their journey, on 24 January 1943, the convoy was in the Barents Sea between
Iceland and Norway when they became the target of an aerial attack by three Heinkel-115 torpedo
bombers.
SS Dan-Y-Bryn was in the lead row, second ship in from port. All three ships in the port column
were active in the battle, and managed to shoot down one of these Heinkels, and disable another. The
third Heinkel was shot at, but it was not known if they damaged it as severely as they had the other
two.
(2009 research initiated by Mark Sheppard of Great Britain, indicates that the third Heinkel
probably made it safely back to it's airfield as only two Heinkel-115's of 1./406 were reported lost
with both crews that day.)
More air raids followed over the next three days, but SS Dan-Y-Bryn arrived safely in Murmansk,
Russia on 27 January 1943.
As with many of the Hurricanes supplied to Russia during World War II, after arriving in Murmansk,
AM 274 was re-assembled once again, then refitted with Soviet-built armament. The twelve-7.7 mm.
Brownings were removed, new gun mounts were fitted and parts of the wing structure were altered to
accommodate the changes. Shell casing chutes and machine gun exit holes were riveted over and new
shell casing chutes and gun apertures were formed in order to accommodate two-ShVAK-20 mm.
cannons and two-UBT-12.7 mm. (0.50 caliber) heavy machine guns.
Re-arming the Russian Hurricane was partly due to the lack of Western ammunition supplies.
Nevertheless, the high rate of fire of Soviet automatic weapons … about half again as great as their
Western equivalents … gave the Russian re-armed Hurricanes a fairly nasty bite!
AM 274 was fitted with a Tropical chin cowl. It is unclear whether this was undertaken in Great
Britain or Russia, but we know this tropical filter was definitely not fitted in Canada.
(Some people tend to believe this chin cowl was marked with the original serial number of AM 271.
To them, it appears the ‘1’ may have been altered to a ‘4’. This would have been to confirm its
fitment on the airframe of AM 274, if this were actually the case. We know the Hurricane AM 271
was built at CanCar, shipped to England, assembled and repaired at 13MU, and then shipped to
Russia as a part of the lend/lease program in roughly the same time frame that AM 274 was,
therefore making this assumption a valid possibility. However, upon close inspection of the
markings on this cowl, it does not appear the markings were made at two separate times. The paint
color as well as the width and consistency of the brush strokes all appear to have been made at one
time. Without any actual record to go on, this will be one area of pure speculation!)
The British roundels and fin flashes were painted out and in their place Russian stars were applied.
The fuselage sides were most likely painted with a thin white outline around the stars, while the under-
wings were just the basic red star. No stars were applied to the upper wing services. The original
tactical number for AM 274 is not currently known.
In late February 1943, AM 274 was placed into service in the 2nd squadron, 78th Fighter Air
Regiment of the Naval Air Forces of the Russian Northern Fleet (78IAP VVS) based at Vaenga. This
was the same airfield where the first Hurricanes of 151Wing RAF operated and educated the VVS to
the Hurricanes worth, some 18 months earlier.
The missions undertaken by AM 274 during the spring of 1943 are currently unknown to us. There
were no damage listings to be found, so she apparently survived unmarked until her final mission.
Research provided by Rune Rautio, Andreas Brekken and Kari Lamppio gives us the following
detailed account of what happened the day AM 274 was lost.
19 June 1943
00.40 Moscow Time (MT)
A Soviet ground observation unit reported a German convoy of:
3-transports,
5-guard vessels,
2-armed trawlers and
1-cutter between Kirkenes and Petasmo in the Kobbholm Fjord.
Air cover was being provided by:
4-[Focke-Wulf] FW-190’s and
3-[Heinkle] He-115's.
The convoy was heading for Petsamo. Additional protection of the convoy was provided by
other units who attacked the shore battery at Fisherman’s Inlet.
02.10 MT
Naval Air Forces, Soviet Northern Fleet (VVS SF) launched an attack against the convoy with:
4-[Ilyushin] Il-2's from 3./46SHAP,
6-[Yakovlev] Yak-1’s from 20IAP,
8-Hawker Hurricanes from 2./78IAP and
8-[Bell] P-39 [Airacobra]’s from 255IAP.
02.47-03.15 MT
113th Artillery Division shore battery fire upon the convoy.
03.00 MT
Upon attacking the convoy, the Soviet Force was met by 14-fighters over Bol Volkovaja Bay
(Petsamo). The Luftwaffe unit is thought to be [Messerschmitt] Bf-109’s from III Gruppe JG5
based at Petsamo. German AA hit one Il-2 that managed to return to its lines and force landed
at Pummanki airfield. It turned into a very one-sided combat with five-Hurricanes destroyed
and two more damaged as detailed below. The Hawker Hurricane AM 274 was one of these
aircraft.
Local time 01.55 (2.55MT)
Hurricane KX 144 piloted by Jr. Lt V. A. Nazarov was shot down. Nazarov bailed out and was
pulled from the water by a Soviet MBT boat, he was okay but the Hurricane was listed as a
100% loss.
Local time 01.55 (2.55MT)
Hurricane KW 730 piloted by Jr. Lt. P. V. Gapilokov was shot down. Gapilokov was killed and
the Hurricane was listed as a 100% loss.
Local time 01.55 (2.55MT)
Hurricane KX 404 piloted by Jr. Lt. N. T. Starosvetskij was shot down. Starosvetskij was killed
and the Hurricane was listed as a 100% loss.
Local time 01.55 (2.55MT)
Hurricane AM 274 piloted by Jr. Lt. J. I. Maslennikov was hit. Maslennikov force landed on the
Rybachiy Peninsula where he was rescued by Soviet infantry troops but the Hurricane was listed
as a 100% loss.
Local time 01.55 (2.55MT)
Hurricane KX 488 piloted by Jr. Lt. F. M. Kasanov was shot down. Kasanov was killed and the
Hurricane was listed as a 100% loss.
AM 274 was flown by Jr. Lieutenant Jurij Ivanovich Maslennikov. During this aerial combat AM 274
was severely damaged. The propeller was hit. The starboard fuel tank was penetrated and exploded.
The engine block and coolant lines were also penetrated.
Jr. Lieutenant Maslennikov, was either very skilled, or very lucky as he was able to return back over
the bay and managed to belly land the damaged AM 274 on the tundra on the Rybachiy Peninsula.
The landing gear was still retracted, but the flaps were fully down, and the propeller still rotating as
AM 274 headed for solid ground.
If we could have watched AM 274 on the way down, we would have seen black, oil-smoke billowing
from the port-side of the engine cowling. This was caused when a bullet entered the crankcase just
aft of the generator.
We also would have seen a Glycol cloud of steam escaping just aft of the pilot seat on the starboard
side. This was from the bullet that penetrated the glycol thermostat.
Luckily for Maslennikov, the Rybachiy Peninsula was in Soviet hands. Though largely uninhabited,
there were a number of Soviet units there, one of which rescued him. There are no further listings of
Maslennikov being wounded or killed in the North.
The Hawker Hurricane AM 274 remained where she crashed that day, exposed to the elements in the
cold north of the Arctic Circle for another 48 years. The fabric and wooden structure gradually rotted
away. Over the years following World War II, elements of the aircraft disappeared (they may have been
scavenged for souveniers) until just the main structural shell was left in the end.
| The Hawker Hurricane AM 274 wreckage when it was re-discovered in June 1991 |
| The Starboard side of the wreckage of AM 274 as it looked when discovered in June 1991 |
| The Rolls Royce Merlin engine that powered the Hawker Hurricane AM 274 after weathering 48 years of the frigid conditions found in the Arctic Circle on the Rybachiy Peninsula. Again, we extend our gratitude to Andrey Kopytkov for these photographs and permission to post them here. |
The Hawker Hurricane AM 274 was re-discovered almost EXACTLY 48 years after she crashed on
19 June 1943. It was on 15 June 1991 the search group “Podvodnik” of Murmansk discovered
AM 274 and found the wreckage to be essentially complete! This group also discovered wreckage of
two other Hawker Hurricanes that day on the Rybachiy Peninsula.
When translated, the name “Podvodnik” means “Diver”. The group was comprised of Andrey
Kopytkov, Leonid Aleksjutin, Michail Kazakevich, Valentin Hapaev and Aleksandr Kazakov.
After discovering the wrecks and taking the photos seen above; the group had to leave the wreckage
on the tundra, in order to make arrangements for a helicopter, a pilot, a loader and operator,
mechanics, trucks, drivers, etc. so they could carry out the actual salvage operation.
19 June 1943. It was on 15 June 1991 the search group “Podvodnik” of Murmansk discovered
AM 274 and found the wreckage to be essentially complete! This group also discovered wreckage of
two other Hawker Hurricanes that day on the Rybachiy Peninsula.
When translated, the name “Podvodnik” means “Diver”. The group was comprised of Andrey
Kopytkov, Leonid Aleksjutin, Michail Kazakevich, Valentin Hapaev and Aleksandr Kazakov.
After discovering the wrecks and taking the photos seen above; the group had to leave the wreckage
on the tundra, in order to make arrangements for a helicopter, a pilot, a loader and operator,
mechanics, trucks, drivers, etc. so they could carry out the actual salvage operation.
| This map shows the Rybachiy Peninsula located in the Barents Sea in the Arctic Circle. The Peninsula is to the far north of Russia and the eastern edge of Finland. At one time, the far west side of the Rybachiy Peninsula was controlled by Finland, but it is wholly owned by Russia at this time. The spot marked inside the large red box on the map indicates the location in which the search group ‘Podvodnik’ of Murmansk found the wreckage of the Hawker Hurricane AM 274 on 15 June 1991. Our Thanks to Andrey Kopytkov for providing this map with the wreckage location so clearly marked. |
Podvodnik of Murmansk returned before the end of June that year. It took the group one day to
salvage the wreckage of AM 274 and the other two Hurricanes. The wreckage was removed from the
Rybachiy Peninsula and taken to Murmansk where the members of the Podnodvik group lived.
In 1992, the salvaged center section from AM 274 (with the motor still attached) and the other Hurricane
wreckage from the Rybachiy Peninsula were sent from Murmansk to St. Petersburg for restoration.
The Podvodnik group never knew what happened to AM 274 after that, until Andrey’s friend Oleg
Leyko visited John Norman in Burlington, Washington, USA in February 2006.
It is unknown at this time how long the wreckage remained in St. Petersburg, but eventually AM 274
began retracing her travels … going first to Great Britain … and eventually making it back to North
America.
By August 1995 the remains of AM 274, along with some other crash ‘victims’ of World War II,
also recovered from Russia, were purchased by the owners of Aeroplane Supply Centre located in
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada.
It seemed as though AM 274 had come full circle ... but she didn't quite make it back into her native
country of Canada! Instead, AM 274 was stored in shipping containers in the small border town of
Blaine, Washington in the far northwest corner of mainland Washington state.
In June 2003, John Norman saw an advertisement by Aeroplane Supply Centre for:
"HAWKER HURRICANE MKIIB / IIC"
The ad indicated there were parts from 2-CCF, and 1-Hawker-built Hurricanes, along with
photographs of the ...
'partial inventory of parts & assemblies recovered from WWII battle sites in Russia',
...and the disclaimer that the parts were being offered as a single
'package only and the aircraft will not be sold individually'.
John went to see the 'package' of aircraft parts and promptly bought the package!
Once all the parts were removed from the containers and laid out at JNE Aircraft Restoration Services
in Burlington, Washington (some 44 miles south of Blaine) the identification number AM 274 was
discovered on the engine chin cowl. This identification was further confirmed when John received the
photographs (shown above) from Russia of the aircraft known to be AM 274.
Even further confirmation came later through research of the Soviet loss report.
Return to Top of Page Go to the Future of AM 274
© 2007 - 2012 JNE Aircraft Restoration Services
salvage the wreckage of AM 274 and the other two Hurricanes. The wreckage was removed from the
Rybachiy Peninsula and taken to Murmansk where the members of the Podnodvik group lived.
In 1992, the salvaged center section from AM 274 (with the motor still attached) and the other Hurricane
wreckage from the Rybachiy Peninsula were sent from Murmansk to St. Petersburg for restoration.
The Podvodnik group never knew what happened to AM 274 after that, until Andrey’s friend Oleg
Leyko visited John Norman in Burlington, Washington, USA in February 2006.
It is unknown at this time how long the wreckage remained in St. Petersburg, but eventually AM 274
began retracing her travels … going first to Great Britain … and eventually making it back to North
America.
By August 1995 the remains of AM 274, along with some other crash ‘victims’ of World War II,
also recovered from Russia, were purchased by the owners of Aeroplane Supply Centre located in
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada.
It seemed as though AM 274 had come full circle ... but she didn't quite make it back into her native
country of Canada! Instead, AM 274 was stored in shipping containers in the small border town of
Blaine, Washington in the far northwest corner of mainland Washington state.
In June 2003, John Norman saw an advertisement by Aeroplane Supply Centre for:
"HAWKER HURRICANE MKIIB / IIC"
The ad indicated there were parts from 2-CCF, and 1-Hawker-built Hurricanes, along with
photographs of the ...
'partial inventory of parts & assemblies recovered from WWII battle sites in Russia',
...and the disclaimer that the parts were being offered as a single
'package only and the aircraft will not be sold individually'.
John went to see the 'package' of aircraft parts and promptly bought the package!
Once all the parts were removed from the containers and laid out at JNE Aircraft Restoration Services
in Burlington, Washington (some 44 miles south of Blaine) the identification number AM 274 was
discovered on the engine chin cowl. This identification was further confirmed when John received the
photographs (shown above) from Russia of the aircraft known to be AM 274.
Even further confirmation came later through research of the Soviet loss report.
Return to Top of Page Go to the Future of AM 274
© 2007 - 2012 JNE Aircraft Restoration Services
| The Canadian-built Hawker Hurricane and the History of AM 274 |
| The cockpit area of the wreckage of the Hawker Hurricane AM 274. The front armor plate can be seen on the forward firewall at the far left of the photograph. The step pocket is clearly seen at the right of the photograph just behind the pilot seat. Many thanks to Andrey Kopytkov for providing this photograph and granting permission for its use on this website. |