Description

Hawker Typhoon IV, RCAF “City of Ottawa” 1:72

As far as names painted on the side of aircraft used during the Second World War are concerned, there can hardly be a more appropriate one than the name given to Hawker Typhoon RB389, flown by Canadian pilot Flt. Lt. Harry Hardy. Known as ‘Pulverizer IV’, the Typhoon was something of an airborne battering ram, providing close air support to advancing ground units and pounding German strongpoints, armour and troop concentrations with a combination of bombs, rockets and cannon fire. These missions, often flown at low level were particularly hazardous for Typhoon pilots, which were not only vulnerable to attack by Luftwaffe fighters, but also from ground fire and ground hazards. The dangerous nature of these operations is highlighted by the fact that there were three previous Typhoons flown by Flt. Lt. Hardy bearing the name Pulverizer, all three of which were damaged or destroyed whilst on operations.