Hurricane Mk.I (R4118), a Hurricane from the 1940 Battle of Britain, still flying
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. Replaced by newer designs later on during the Second World War, it has not survived as well as its contemporary, the Supermarine Spitfire.
Over 14,583 Hurricanes were built and at least 16 survive in airworthy condition worldwide, with other non-flying examples preserved by various air museums.
Hawker Hurricanes
Australia
Airworthy
Hurricane Mk.XII 5481 (registered C-FDNL) was imported from Canada in early 2014 and was returned to airworthy status, for a private owner, by Pay's Air Service at Scone, NSW. It made its first flight in Australia on 2 October 2016.[1]
The last remaining airworthy Mark IV at Točná airport, before its crash in August 2022
Hurricane Mk.IV KZ321 (previously registered G-HURY and CF-TPM) was the last surviving airworthy Mark IV. Built in the Kingston upon Thames factory in 1942, it served with No. 6 Squadron RAF in Grottaglie, Italy, and other squadrons in Greece and Yugoslavia. Abandoned in Palestine in 1947, the aircraft was returned to the UK in 1983. It was acquired by the Vintage Wings of Canada Collection, Gatineau, Quebec in 2006. This was sold in March 2018 and registered OO-HUR[3] to Flying Aces Services & Training, making its first flight in Belgium on Sunday evening, 4 November 2018 at the Brasschaat Airfield.[4] The plane has been sold to a private owner in the Czech Republic and restored with RAF livery JX-E commemorating Hurricane Mk.IIc of famous Czech WWII flying ace Karel Kuttelwascher. On June 14, 2021, the plane landed at Točná airport near Prague where it expanded the collection of airworthy historical aircraft under the registration OO-HUR.[5] The plane crashed during Cheb Aviation Days on August 14, 2022, killing pilot Petr Paces.[6][7][8][9]
Hurricane Mk.XII 5389 owned by the City of Calgary and on display at The Hangar Flight Museum. Restoration by the Calgary Mosquito Aircraft Society was completed in October 2019. The aircraft will soon have taxi-able status with a Packard Merlin 29 engine. The restoration work on the airframe is subcontracted out to Historic Aviation Services of Wetaskiwin, Alberta. During WWII this aircraft was assigned to No. 133 (Fighter) Squadron based at RCAF Station Boundary Bay, British Columbia for home defense.
Hurricane Mk.XII 5461 is an airframe reconstructed around an original partial nose section, with many replica components (painted as "YO-J", No. 401 Squadron RCAF markings) on display at The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Brandon, Manitoba.
Hurricane Mk.XII RCAF 5447 [registered as C-GGAJ], manufactured in 1942 by Canadian Car and Foundry, now owned by Vintage Wings of Canada, Gatineau, Quebec. Currently under restoration to represent LE-A as flown by F/O Willie McKnight. 5447 was struck off charge from RCAF in 1946.
In the inventory of Harry Whereatt Collection, Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, 1971
Assigned civil registration: C-GGAJ April 7, 2000
Restoration complete July 2000
Owned by Harry Whereatt, Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, 1988–2006. Vintage Wings acquired it from aircraft restorer Harry Whereatt of Assiniboia, Saskatchewan in 2006. Its most recent markings were stripped, to be replaced as Hurricane LE-A of 242 RAF - Canadian Squadron[10]
France
Airworthy
Hurricane Mk.IIa P3351 (registered F-AZXR, formerly ZK-TPK) was originally a Mk.I P3351. It was delivered to the RAF, and crashed near Prestwick on 21 July 1940. Rebuilt as Mk.IIa DR393, the aircraft was delivered to the Soviet Air Force in May 1941, serving for about two years before crashing near Murmansk, Russia in 1943. The hulk was eventually restored as a Mk.IIc in the UK from 1992 to 1995. It was transferred to New Zealand in 1995, and acquired by the New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum, being rebuilt in its original identity as P3351 in Wānaka, New Zealand. Its first flight after restoration occurred in Christchurch on 12 January 2000.[11] On 10 February 2013, it was bought by Jan Roozen from the Alpine Fighter Collection via Platinum Fighter Sales and shipped to France; it arrived at Le Havre on 30 March and was taken to Aero Restoration Service at Dijon for re-assembly; it was registered as F-AZXR on 14 May 2013.[12]
Hurricane displayed as Mk.IIa AP832, and later AB832, though these serials have never been allocated[13] (the former is in a deliberate blank block between Hurricane Mk.IIb's, and the latter is a deliberate blank block between Spitfire serials). The actual Mark of Hurricane is also in question (it is possibly Canadian built Mk.I P5202,[14] but has the armored radiator of a Mk.IV, and the oil deflector ring of a Mk.II or later). The heritage of this aircraft and how it came to be in India is unknown, but it has been on display at the Indian Air Force Museum, Palam, New Delhi since 1975.[15]
Stored or under restoration
In 2021, the Indian Air Force Museum, Palam acquired a second Hurricane, a Mk.IIB, BN225, previously on outdoor display at the Police Academy at Moradabad. The aircraft was modified for outdoor display but its structure survives. The aircraft will require restoration to display standard.[16]
Malta
Hawker Hurricane IIa Z3055 on display at the Malta Aviation Museum
On display
Hurricane Mk.IIa Z3055 was ditched off the coast of Malta on 9 July 1941. It was recovered on 19 July 1995, and restored to static display condition. It is on display at the Malta Aviation Museum, Takali Airfield, Malta.[17]
Canadian-built Hurricane Mk.XII painted to represent Hurricane Mk.IIb Z5140 of No. 126 Squadron RAFBE505 of Aerial Collective Duxford and Hurricane Heritage at North Weald, England, prior to its conversion to the world's only two-seat Hurricane.
Airworthy
Hurricane Mk.I P2902 (registered G-ROBT), recovered wreck that crashed 31 May 1940 near Dunkirk.[18][19]
Hurricane Mk.I P3717 (registered G-HITT), recovered wreck from Russia, since traced to have Battle of Britain history.[18]
Hurricane Mk.I R4118 (one of the last flying Battle of Britain veterans; registered G-HUPW) is privately owned by Hurricane Heritage but since 2015 kept within the hangars of the Shuttleworth Collection[20] (restored in 2004 by Hawker Restorations Ltd in the UK). Delivered new to No. 605 Squadron RAF at Drem on 17 August 1940. During the Battle of Britain, it flew 49 sorties from Croydon and shot down five enemy aircraft. Upon completion of its RAF service, it was sent to India as a training aircraft in December 1943, where it remained intact and in its packing crates until being struck off charge in 1947, after which it was sent to the Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Banaras Hindu University as an instructional airframe. Discovered in 1981 by Peter Vacher, returned to the UK in 2001 and restored to flying status, marking its first post-restoration flight (in nearly 60 years) on December 23, 2004. The aircraft is maintained by Duxford-based Aircraft Restoration Company.
Hurricane Mk.XII P3700 (registered G-HURI), Canadian-built Hurricane Mk.XII, painted in 2015 to represent a Hurricane Mk.I RF-E No. 303 Polish Squadron RAF and operated by the Historic Aircraft Collection, Duxford, Cambridgeshire.[18]
Hurricane Mk.IIc PZ865, the last Hurricane built, operated by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.[18]
Hurricane Mk.IIb BE505 (registered G-HHII), the last flying "Hurribomber", Originally restored in 2005 by Hawker Restorations Ltd in the UK, now the world's only two-seat Hurricane and is now maintained by Duxford-based Aircraft Restoration Company.[21]
Hurricane Mk.I V7497 (registered G-HRLI), recovered wreck that crashed 28 September 1940 operating with No. 501 Squadron RAF[18] was restored by Hawker Restorations Limited of Sudbury, Suffolk. Returned to airworthy status on 30 August 2018 and now maintained by Duxford-based Aircraft Restoration Company.[22]
On display
Hurricane Mk.I L1592 is on display in 615 Squadron markings at the Science Museum, London.[18] It is the oldest surviving Hurricane, having seen action in France in 1939 as well as the Battle of Britain.
Hurricane Mk.II LF751 painted as BN230 of No. 43 Squadron RAF and displayed at the Hurricane and Spitfire Memorial Museum at the former RAF Manston.[18]
Stored or under restoration
Hurricane Mk.IV KZ191 last operated by the Israeli Defence Force, privately owned in Berkshire.[18]
Hurricane Mk.IIb Z5207 (registered G-BYDL), a former Russian aircraft, is privately owned and stored in Gloucestershire.[23]
Hurricane Mk.XII (registered G-CBOE), a Canadian-built aircraft operated by the RCAF as 5487 and crashed in 1942 is privately owned in Hampshire.[18]
Hurricane Mk.IIb BH238, the wreck of a former Russian aircraft, is privately owned and stored on the Isle of Wight.[18]
Hurricane Mk.XII 5390 is on display at the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio; it is of Canadian manufacture and is painted to represent an aircraft of the No. 71 or "Eagle" Squadron RAF, composed of U.S. citizens who volunteered for British/Canadian service in the RAF beginning in September 1940 prior to US entry into World War II late the following year. It is marked as Hurricane Mk.IIa Z3174.[28][29]
^"Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIa". The National Museum of the United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2017.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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