There can be no doubt that the Hawker Hurricane ranks as one of the most important aircraft designs in military aviation history. Apart from the heavy responsibilities vested in this fighter during those early critical war years when the Nazi blitzkreig seemed destined to carry all before it, the Hurricane was the R.A.F.'s principal fighter, and had been the first British combat aircraft to exceed 300 m.p.h. in level flight and — most significant of all — it represented that vital break with tradition and the answer to the stalemate that had threatened the future of Britain's defence arsenal...