Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIC

Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIC

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09/30/2007. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "This aircraft was built at the Hawker factory near Slough, Buckinghamshire, England, early 1944. It was part of the last RAF Hurricane order for about 1,300 aircraft. On March 14, 1944, the RAF moved LF686 to No. 5 Maintenance Unit at RAF Kemble, Gloucestershire, for installation of operational equipment.

The fighter was delivered to No. 41 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Hawarden, Flintshire, North Wales on April 15, 1944. It served in this OTU until the RAF reclassified the aircraft a maintenance training airframe, number 5270M, on June 27, 1945, and transferred it to RAF Maintenance Command at Chilbolton, Hampshire, where it was used to train mechanics.

At some point the original engine was probably removed. In July 1948, the RAF issued the Hurricane to No. 7 School for Recruit Training, RAF Bridgenorth. Another Merlin XX was installed and the fighter was placed outdoors, opposite the guardroom. Sometime later, the entire airplane was painted silver. In 1963, Bridgenorth closed its doors and LF686 moved to RAF Colerne, Wiltshire, for overhaul and storage.

During the late 1960s, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., arranged to trade a stock Hawker Typhoon to the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon, Middlesex, England, in exchange for Hawker Hurricane LF686. An RAF transport hauled the fighter to the US in 1969. Specialists at the Paul E. Garber Facility in Suitland, Maryland, began restoring the airplane in 1989 and finished the project eleven years later. As of this date, this fighter is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center."


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09/30/2007. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "This aircraft was built at the Hawker factory near Slough, Buckinghamshire, England, early 1944. It was part of the last RAF Hurricane order for about 1,300 aircraft. On March 14, 1944, the RAF moved LF686 to No. 5 Maintenance Unit at RAF Kemble, Gloucestershire, for installation of operational equipment. The fighter was delivered to No. 41 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Hawarden, Flintshire, North Wales on April 15, 1944. It served in this OTU until the RAF reclassified the aircraft a maintenance training airframe, number 5270M, on June 27, 1945, and transferred it to RAF Maintenance Command at Chilbolton, Hampshire, where it was used to train mechanics. At some point the original engine was probably removed. In July 1948, the RAF issued the Hurricane to No. 7 School for Recruit Training, RAF Bridgenorth. Another Merlin XX was installed and the fighter was placed outdoors, opposite the guardroom. Sometime later, the entire airplane was painted silver. In 1963, Bridgenorth closed its doors and LF686 moved to RAF Colerne, Wiltshire, for overhaul and storage. During the late 1960s, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., arranged to trade a stock Hawker Typhoon to the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon, Middlesex, England, in exchange for Hawker Hurricane LF686. An RAF transport hauled the fighter to the US in 1969. Specialists at the Paul E. Garber Facility in Suitland, Maryland, began restoring the airplane in 1989 and finished the project eleven years later. As of this date, this fighter is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center."