Four Hawker Hurricane Mk.1's displaying together at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, during the Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2021. Each of these Hurricanes has a World War 2 combat history.
1/. Hurricane V7497 (G-HRLI) - The original V7497 was manufactured by Hawker Aircraft Ltd in August 1940.
It was issued to 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron at RAF Kenley, on 19th September 1940.
V7497's was shot down and lost in combat with German Messerchmitt Bf109s over Kent on 28th September, during its 7th operational mission.
Just before 10am more than 70 German aircraft crossed the coast in 2 waves near Deal and flew inland. The first wave of 30 flew towards Biggin Hill. 6 managed to press on further to reach London.
The second wave of 40 flew as far as Maidstone. Both waves were intercepted by RAF Spitfire and Hurricane fighters from 17 squadrons, including 501 Squadron and 605 Squadrons.
Flying towards the second wave of enemy aircraft were 6 aircraft from 605 Squadron, ahead and above twelve Hurricanes from 501 Squadron. They were attacked by 12 Bf109s from 8./JG26 and Pilot Officer (PO) Rogers and Hurricane V7497 were shot down. V7497 crashed at Chartway Street, East Sutton, near Maidstone and PO Rogers parachuted to safety.
A dig during the 1990s recovered significant remains of V7497. Parts included the aircrafts identity plates and many others that were later used in its restoration. These were acquired by Tony Ditheridge of Hawker Restorations and this Hurricane V7497 is the result of a 'full airworthy rebuild' - effectively a completely new Hurricane aircraft built around the original identity plates and other useable recovered parts, which are said to amount to about a quarter of the aircraft. The Hurricane has been completed as close to its original condition as possible. This includes an original Merlin Mk.III engine which was restored, with modifications such as split cylinder banks and a modern oil filter system, designed to extend its operational life.
The rebuild was completed with its first flight at Hawker Restorations facility at Elmsett, Suffolk on 30th August 2018.
2/.Hurricane P3717, SW-P, G-HITT was built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd in 1940. Handed to the RAF during the Battle of Britain in June, it went to 253 Squadron at Kirton in Lindsey on 13th July. They transferred to RAF Kenley, on the 29th August.
P3717’s Battle of Britain was brief. After landing and refuelling at Kenley on the 29th the aircraft of 253 were scrambled at 16.00 for a standing patrol. This was uneventful. At 10.50 the following day they scrambled to counter 3 incoming waves of Albert Kesselring’s Luftflotte 2. Samolinski and P3717 were in the thick of the action and a running fight developed across the south of England. This culminated in Samolinksi and P3717 being credited with the destruction of a Bf110 over Redhill in Surrey. P3717 however was so badly damaged and had to be returned to Hawkers for significant repairs. P3717 was then reissued to 257 Squadron. She was later returned to Hawker for major works a second time and modified to mark 2 standard before being sent to Russia. It was from here that she was recovered in the late 1990s. Restoration to flight was completed in March 2017.
3/. Hurricane P2902, G-ROBT was built in 1939 by Gloster Aircraft.
By May 1940 it was operational with 245 Squadron based at Drem on the East Coast of Scotland engaged on shipping protection.
On the 31 May 1940 it was piloted by Pilot Officer Kenneth McGlashan.
Heading for the French coast to provide cover for the Dunkirk evacuation armada of small ships, he engaged with and was hit by fire from a Messerschmitt 109. PO McGlashen was badly injured but managed to force land on the beach at Dunkirk. The aircraft remained there until recovered by French enthusiasts in 1988. It was obtained some time later by warbird operator Rick Roberts who subsequently employed the services of several restorers before finally engaging Hawker Restorations, where it was returned to flying condition.
4/. Hurricane R4118, G-HUPW, was delivered to 605 Squadron at Croydon on 17th August 1940. In the hands of Bunny Currant, Archie Milne and Bob Foster, she flew 49 sorties, shooting down or damaging five enemy aircraft before being battle-damaged and sent for repair.
After repairs she went to 111 Squadron at Dyce in January 1941 where she flew on patrols over the North Sea and was again in combat before becoming a training aircraft with 59 and 56 Operational Training Units.
In December 1943 R4118 was shipped to India. She was never used in India and in 1947 was donated to Banaras Hindu University for engineering instruction.
Peter Vacher found her there in 1995. The airframe was still in surprisingly good condition and, after a three-year restoration, the aircraft returned to flight in December 2004.
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