Hawker Hurricane, captured by Japan

 

The Far East had been neglected, lagging behind in modern equipment, skilled officers, and a doctrine suited to the region. Only when Japanese aggression became evident was an attempt made to reinforce the air force with whatever was available. American Buffalos were purchased, more for their availability than their merit. Aircraft based on the F2A-1 demonstration, the same version used by the Finns, were also bought—a magnificent fighter, fast and agile, but without armor or self-sealing tanks. The RAF bought dozens of the more "advanced" F2A-3, with armor, self-sealing tanks, more armament, and a better radio. What could go wrong? Everything. The manufacturer, Brewster, wasn't very honest; they sold things they didn't have. They could have built aircraft with more equipment, but they couldn't get new engines or equipment, so they fitted them with engines retired from commercial aircraft, worn out and underpowered. The Singapore disaster was inevitable.

TOO LATE, TOO FEW

With the Buffaloes destroyed and the fortress bombarded daily, the RAF managed to send 232 Squadron, with a full complement of Hurricanes, diverted from its destination in North Africa. While still at sea, the convoy was rushed to Singapore, and this is where the official story ends and everything gets confusing. The squadron must have landed somewhere in the Indian Ocean, possibly in Ceylon, where it embarked on HMS Indomitable, along with 605 Squadron. According to some sources, it was sent directly to Java, to Palembang; others say it reached Singapore, which I believe more likely, since there is a photo of a Hurricane crashed on the runway, and the Japanese say that this was the first Hurricane they captured.

The damaged plane, captured in Singapore

The few pilots who remained at the end of the battle escaped in the last 8 available aircraft to continue fighting in the disastrous Battle of Java, under inferior conditions, with continuous landings, indispensable retreats and in the end, the surrender. I have no information about what happened, whether the pilots managed to escape to Australia or board the last ship. The only certainty is that the Japanese captured several more Hurricanes and the RAF disbanded the Squadron.

In japanese service, Tachikawa unit

While the drawing depicts a Mk II Troop, with a Vokes filter and desert camouflage, it would be logical if the squadron carried its Hurricanes with them. However, surviving Japanese photographs seem to show Mk IIs in an Earth/Green scheme without filters.

The Hurricanes were sent to the Tachikawa Experimental Range, where at some point they received the complete range scheme: IJN Green on the upper surfaces, IJN Gray on the lower surfaces, with the unit crest on the rudder and an economic number on the rudder.

This implies that the Japanese were able to get their hands on Merlin engines, the most advanced in the West at that time, but I haven't found information on whether they copied them. On the other hand, it seems that, unlike the captured P-40s, the Hurricanes were never returned to active service.