Posted on 06/23/2017 6:39:27 AM PDT by DFG
An iconic Second World War fighter aircraft which crash landed as it tried to rescue Allied troops has taken to the skies for the first time in nearly 80 years. The Mk 1 Hawker Hurricane thundered through the skies after taking off at Elmsett in Suffolk following a £2 million restoration project and some 25,000 hours of highly-skilled labour. In May 1940, the Hurricane of 245 Squadron took off from Kent with Pilot Officer Kenneth McGlashan at the controls, before being shot down on a Dunkirk beach. But now the distinctive sound of the P2902 with its Merlin engine is set to thrill aviation and history fans at air shows across the country.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Data plate restoration?
Absolutely beautiful job!
I would go visit Chino airport where they would do the same restoration to WWII planes pulled off the Pacific ocean.
That’s pronounced “Hurricin”
...might have something to do with electronics reproduction ( instead of restoration)
Hard to imagine that much of this restoration included the original plane considering the crash and being buried in salt water for so long. Still way cool.
The Hurricane was a good fighter but had one problem: its top speed was no match for the Bf 109E series. But it was an excellent gun platform and proved to be a great ground attack fighter until replaced by the LF versions of the Spitfire and Hawker Typhoon (once Hawker fixed the weak tail structure problem) from middle 1942 on.
There is a series on Netflix called “Plane Resurrection”. It’s about restoring WW2 warbirds in the UK.
Quite a process what they go through using original blueprints to be as true to WW2 factory quality as possible.
But only in Hartford, Hereford, and Hampshire.
Rescue troops? How many could be squeezed into that cockpit?
I think the only original on the plane is the data plate!
The 2nd photo with that lighting and angle looks like a model you would have.
We can assume keeping the Germans out of Dunkirk long enough to get the troops out was the Hurricanes mission.
This must have been a specially-designed troop-carrying Hurricane to be trying to rescue the soldiers at Dunkirk. It brings about a picture of strapping soldiers to the wings ...
“We can assume keeping the Germans out of Dunkirk long enough to get the troops out was the Hurricanes mission”
Went to see the Movie Megan Leavy (female explosives Dog Handler in Iraq War) at the Theater a couple weeks back and one of the trailers they showed was an upcoming release about the Dunkirk Rescue Mission. Looked very promising.
“In Hartford, Hereford and Hampshire Hurricins’ hardly happen’’.
“I think the only original on the plane is the data plate!”
Yeah, like having the VIN plate and title to a ‘63 split-rear-window Corvette. You’re off to the races.
I am looking forward to it.
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