Hawker Typhoon ‘Sharkmouth’
<p>Hawker Typhoon<br>IB MP197 / MR-U, ‘Sharkmouth’ No.245 Squadron,<br>2nd Tactical Air Force,<br>Germany and RAF<br>Warmwell, Dorset, England,<br>June-August 1945<br>Despite the fact that the deep chin radiator<br>of the Hawker Typhoon fighter was particularly<br>suited to the application of some aggressive<br>looking nose artwork, most RAF aircraft,<br>particularly Hawker Typhoons, rarely featured<br>anything more than their standard squadron<br>colours during WWII. One high profile exception<br>to this rule was Typhoon IB MP147, an aircraft<br>which featured a fearsome array of teeth behind<br>its bright blue spinner, making it one of the most<br>distinctive RAF aircraft in the European Theatre.<br>Thought to be the only Typhoon to feature a<br>representation of sharks teeth on its radiator,<br>MP417 ‘Sharky’ was issued to RAF No.245<br>Squadron in August 1944, whilst Allied units<br>were engaged in the savage fighting around<br>the Falaise Pocket and remained with the squadron<br>until it disbanded on 15th August the following year.<br>Logbook entries show that Sharky was flown by<br>successful Canadian pilot Flt. Lt. Harrison Taylor ‘Moose’<br>Mossip, who had been awarded the Distinguished Flying<br>Cross for his previous successes operating the Typhoon<br>with RAF No.1 Squadron. Known to possess a particularly<br>aggressive flying style, Mossip was one of the pilots who<br>helped to establish the reputation of the Typhoon in the ground<br>attack role and it is thought that these sharkmouth markings<br>were applied to this aircraft in recognition of this tenacious<br>flying style. Significantly, this aircraft flew operationally<br>during WWII whilst wearing these markings</p>
