Hi All, I have finally got around to starting a thread on the Hawker Hurricane I have previously discussed. In working on “Down to Earth”, the story of another veteran came to light. The tale of Hawker Hurricane Mk I, P2902, DX-R, or “R for Robert”. Now residing in southern England and undergoing restoration to full flying status, it is hard to imagine a more fitting tribute to the late Squadron Leader Kenneth McGlashan AFC. DX-R began its life as a product of the Gloster Aircraft Company. Built under contract number 962371/38 and taken on charge at 245 Squadron on the 19th May 1940. At the time of its demise, DX-R had only a handful of flight time to its credit. On that fateful offensive patrol of 31st May 1940, Kenneth always lamented that his first mistake that day was not having a good look back over his shoulder. If he had of, he would have seen the grey Messerschmitt 109s of JG26 of the Luftwaffe. Hurricane DX-R would spend the next fifty years immersed in the sands of Dunkirk before its discovery. Now, in the 21st century it is preparing to fly once more. Here are a couple of images of P2902. View attachment 1192 View attachment 1193 Cheers, Owen
Good to hear that many of the "scraps" are being rebuilt so people can appricate them for their historical signifincance.
It's always heartening to hear of one of the old warbirds getting the breath of life. I sincerely hope they succeed. Keep us posted....actually, many restoration efforts chronicle their progress on a website. To your knowledge, is there a website available for this effort? -whatever -Lou
Hi again, To the best of my knowledge there isn't a website tracking the progress of the restoration. The aircraft is now in the expert care of Hawker Restorations at Suffolk. It was one of the Hurricane's featured in an article in FlyPast (November 2007) and is well worth a read if you can get your hands on a copy. It's interesting that some groups chronicle retorations on the web these days. I know that I kept a photo diary of the restoration of my Tiger Moth and it was a very worthwhile exercise. View attachment 1194 Cheers Owen
We're actually quite fortunate just to have the images which Owen has posted here. The whereabouts of the airframe has been well-kept secret - until now. But Hawker Restorations don't have a website to my knowledge. 'Secrecy' is fairly commonplace in the world of warbird restoration ( not just aircraft - classic cars too ). Sadly, the threat of crime is always with us and parts for these old aircraft are almost priceless, and not only that, but vandals and 'rubberneckers' can also be a nuisance..... I look forward to Owen's ongoing updates.....
Hi Martin, You're quite right in what you say and the owners and restorers have very valid reasons for their desire for privacy. As such, all that I have mentioned here is in the public domain. In fact I found out about it from the November 2007 issue of FlyPast. (A highly recommended read if you're interested in the Hurricane's progress.) View attachment 1195 The photos in the this forum of the Hurricane are my personal shots and pre-date the move to 'Hawker Restorations'. Like all of you, I cannot wait to see this beautiful machine once again grace the skies. I will definitely be making the trek from Australia to see it. Cheers, Owen
Welcome to Hawker Restorations Ltd Web Site : Restorers of World War 2 aircraft specialising in the Hawker Hurricane (Though last updated 2005...) Cheers, Adam.
Well done, Poop! Just for the record, I would LOVE to spend an afternoon wading around in your 'FAVORITES' folder! (... or, is it 'FAVOURITES' over there??? I mean, does Bill Gates respect British sensiblities??.... Does Bill Gates respect ANYONE'S sensibilites??? Asked and answered!...) -whatever -Lou
Hi again all, Another interesting link relates to Hawker Hurricane R4118. It was recovered from India and subsequently restored by Hawker Restorations. This website features some restoration shots at Hawker Restorations. Hurricane R4118 Have a look, I hope you find it interesting. Cheers Owen
Can I also mention that the book about R4118, which can be ordered via that link, is in its way a small masterpiece. It's Peter Vacher's complete story of finding the remains of the aircraft in India, the incredibly protracted negotiations to purchase the airframe and then getting it out of the country, then right through the restoration/rebuild process to its first flight, and including all the research that went into the history of the aircraft. It really is an epic of warbird recovery.....
Hi All, I had a contact come through my website regarding yet another Hurricane restoration. Here's the link. AM 274 Cheers Owen
Thanks for keeping us updated, Owen. Truly amazing to think how many restored Hurricanes there are now, compared to the late '60s when they were as rare as hen's teeth....
Hi Martin, Considering the complexities and challenges, it is amazing to see so many dedicated teams restoring Hurricanes. Cheers, Owen
Hi All, After some time, it looks like the Hurricane is nearing completion and will fly in the New Year! Airborne again: Bringing Hawker Hurricanes back to life - This Britain, UK - The Independent Cheers Owen
