Military Model Scene

Title: Hurricanes in Action Worldwide
Author: Adrian Stewart
Publisher: Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978-1-52678-868-9

A collection of stories of the operational use of the famous Hawker Hurricane during WW2. A 212-page hard-cover book from Pen & Sword.
There are 13 chapters, each one looking at a different places where the Hurricane was employed. At the beginning there is the Hurricane in Norway, which does include the first time that they were landed on an aircraft carrier, as an RAF unit attempted to save their machines from Norway in 1940. Others include some of their regular opponents during the Battle of Britain, their use in East Africa (Abyssinia & Sudan), two periods in Malta, the second of which includes their cover for the famous Pedestal Convoy. Others fought in Northern Russia, protecting the arrival of convoys into Murmansk, before they were passed on to Russian pilots. There is a chapter I particularly enjoyed, with their use on the CAM (Catapult Armed Merchantmen) ships, ground attack operations in North Africa and the Far East. There is also a small section of archive images (16-pages) to illustrate the various stories.
While there were more Hurricanes in service with the RAF than the Spitfire during the Battle of Britain, it is sadly often overlooked by the fame which the Spitfire achieved. This book looks to put that right with focussing on the service career of the Hurricane throughout WW2. I also learnt for the first time, despite nearly 60 of interest in WW2 aircraft, that there was a version of the Hurricane armed with not 8 machine guns, but 12! I was well aware of them being fitted with both 20mm and 40mm guns but the 12-gun version was new to me. Every day can be a learning day.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for the review copy.

Robin