An interesting, little-known version of the Hawker Hurricane, the Mark X, designed as an interim model to fill a gap in the desert warfare weaponry, was built in January 1941, at a time when Hawker's Typhoon development was experiencing serious problems. Using a standard Mark IIB as a basis, the Mark X prototype featured a Rolls Royce Griffon engine fitted into a lengthened nose, 4 blade prop, cut-down rear fuselage, clear-view canopy and slightly larger fin and rudder. All air scoops and Volkes filter were incorporated into a larger radiator housing, resulting in a much cleaner looking airframe. Standard armament was to be four 20mm cannon and the strengthened wings could carry extra external fuel tanks as shown here; two 250lb bombs or 8 air-to-ground rockets mounted on short-length rails. Extra armour plating was provided for the pilot and under the engine for protection in its ground-attack role. Top speed was increased to 380mph. Despite this promising performance, official interest was never great and no order was placed for production. Hawker's involvement with their Typhoon and Tempest development made any further work on the Mark X concept impractical.
This sole example was used as a test bed by Hawkers until it was destroyed during a bombing raid in September 1942.

Note: The entire Hurricane X story is fictitious, just a might-have-been from Glenn Ball's imagination.
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