Hawker Hurricane

[Denis]

 

P3717 was built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd as one of 544 Hurricanes built as part of the third production batch. P3717 was taken on charge by the Royal Air Force in June 1940 and was delivered to newly formed 253 Squadron at Kirtön-in-Lindsey on 13^th July 1940. Three days later on the 16^th July, a Polish Pilot Officer, W. Samolinski would report to the Squadron, He would be flying P3717, when, less than seven weeks later, the aircraft was heavily damaged in combat with Messerschmitt BF 110’s

By the end of July the Battle of Britain was in full swing and in anticipation of the inevitable requirement, 253 were brought up to operational status, moving from Kirton to Turnhouse on July 21^st, then to Prestwick on August 23^rd and finally into the thick of things on August 29^th when the squadron arrived at RAF Kenley one of the key 11 Group sector fighter stations.

P3717 was being flown by P/O Samolinski, when on the 30^th August it was one of thirteen aircraft participating in a squadron scramble at 10.50am and ordered to patrol over Maidstone ready to face any threat to its Kenley base

When no attack on Kenley materialised, 253 were vectored towards Brighton. It seems that a dogfight between elements of 253 and aircraft of Albert Kesselring’s Luftflotte 2 broke out over Redhill in Surrey. P3717, flown by Samolinski was involved in this and Samolinski claimed and was officially credited for the destruction of a BF 110 in this action.

P3717 made it back to Kenley but not before one of the enemy aircraft had damaged it to such an extent that it had to be returned to the manufacturers for significant repairs, these repairs took time and once complete P3717 was reissued to 257 Squadron to see further service.  P3717 was later returned for major works a second time and modified to MK 2 standard after which it was then sent to Russia from where it was recovered in the late 1990’s. The restoration to flying condition has taken over 10 years to accomplish and was only completed in March of 2017 .

Text taken from the Shuttleworth collection website.

[kev7d]

I could look at images like this all day. 

[colinb]

 

 Odd reflection on the wing? But nicely shot Denis, always good to see a little prop blur, was this at an airshow or a flypast?

[Denis]

This and any others I may post in the next few days were from the air display at Old Warden last Sunday.

I personally think that the Shuttleworth Collection and the displays at Old Warden are amongst the best. A lovely atmosphere, quite a small venue and not remotely 'corporate' like Duxford Colin. Well worth a trip down the A1, so google their website and see when the next one is that you might be able to attend...you will not be disappointed!

 

Not so much a reflection as a tissue paper blowing in the wind?