Another first flight: Hawker Hurricane V7479 (G-HRLI)

[aerovet]

Hurricane G-HRLI makes first flight
Another first post restoration flight today: Hawker Hurricane Mk.I V7479 took to the air for the first time in 78 years! The fighter is a Battle of Britain veteran, which was shot down on 28th September 1940, while flown by P/O E.B. Rogers. He escaped by parachute and remained unhurt. V7479 was fully restored by Elmsett based Hawker Restorations. It has been finished in its original BoB colours of ‘SD-X’ flown by 501sq from RAF Kenley. V7479 is registered as G-HRLI.

[old iron]

V7497?

[Warbird Kid]

Awesome! So how many Hurricanes does this make for Hawker Restorations?

[JohnTerrell]

I can think of at least 9 that have been completed by Hawker Restorations - V7497, P2902, P3717, BE505, R4118, KZ321, BW881, AE977, and P3351/DR393, as well as the initial restoration of RCAF 5487 - and I know that's not all they've done Hurricane-related.

Currently, BE505 is back in the Hawker Restorations workshop again, having been repurchased from Peter Teichman, and is in the process of being converted into a two-seater. Hawker Restorations reportedly also has at least a couple other potential Hurricane projects in line.

In addition, as I also posted today with my announcement about V7497 in the "Worldwide Warbird Numbers" stickied-thread (which I always try to keep updated with the latest completed & flying warbird), the following Hurricanes are also currently undergoing restoration to fly in the near future and immediate years ahead:

- RCAF 5708 at Ray Middleton's shop in Colorado, USA (former Lone Star Flight Museum example, and is set to be completed/flying next year - the aircraft is now owned by the Dakota Territory Air Museum (previously Texas Flying Legends))
- RCAF 5447 at Vintage Wings of Canada
- Z5207 at Kaelin Aero Technologies in Germany (owned by Karl-Friedemann Grimminger, this aircraft was previously under restoration at UK-based Retro Track & Air)
- AM274 at FAST Aero in Belgium (project originally under restoration by John Norman in the US, sold to the Vormezeele warbird family in Belgium several years ago, with work on continuing the restoration only just re-commencing earlier this year)

[old iron]

My reading of the history of V7497 is that the original crash site was excavated and it appears that there was little more than a data plate and a miscellaneous other parts in poor condition.

But the "restoration" is here presented as an original aircraft? Surely this should count as a reproduction/replica. I understand that the sellers would want to present this as original as that should generate a higher price, but we should not be supporting that presentation, which I think takes away from an appreciation of the "real" survivors.

[Dan K]

...but we should not be supporting that presentation, which I think takes away from an appreciation of the "real" survivors...

And exactly to whom are you referring with the word "we"?

Kevin, I can't imagine there are too many posters/lurkers here that don't already understand the nature of your opinion.

But with aircraft and project owners, dealers, restorers, scroungers, and the balance of the eclectic WIX mix all watching, is it in the best interest of this forum (and the gentleman who created and sustains it) to post such a potentially toxic opinion publicly?

[StangStung]

Where else is he supposed to express his opinion? This is a board of people with opinions on warbirds. That's what "we" do here.

Moreover, the opinion was not expressed in a "toxic" or inflammatory way in my reading.

Please let's not get into the situation where people withhold their opinions. Then we won't have much of a board anymore.

Let's discuss the merits of the opinion, rather than the ability to HAVE an opinion.

Bottom line: This thread would be better with pics.

[JohnTerrell]

This aircraft is no doubt a newly-manufactured (or "new build") airframe, using as many original Hurricane components, from available sources, as still existing. It is outfitted with many rare components, including the IFF radio, gun camera and Merlin III engine (though which is growing a bit less rare these days).

There has been a whole website dedicated to the restoration of V7497, that is filled with tons of photos from throughout the restoration, here: http://www.hurricane501.co.uk/

Here is a photo by Darren Harbar taken on the takeoff roll from the first test flight yesterday: https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5BF1D01F

As BE505 has been out of commission due to work being underway to convert it to a two-seater, with V7497 now flying there are 9 Hurricanes flying again in England, with the world-wide total of flying Hurricanes back at 15 once more.

V7497 will be permanently based/operated at Duxford following the completion of flight testing, joining Hurricanes R4118, P2902 and P3700 already based there.

[K5DH]

In my humble opinion, representing a "data plate build" as a "restoration" is wrong. "Replica" or "Re-creation" would be more appropriate terms. This is my opinion only. I speak for no one else.

With that being said, whether this particular Hurricane is restored or a replica is immaterial; it's simply great to have another example flying! Whether it is real or just looks real, it honors the memory of the brave men who gallantly flew them in combat during some dark times. That's a very good thing.

[raconnel]

I love to see any new warbird take to the air, regardless of whether it's a rebuild, restoration, replica, or all three combined. One thing I wonder about is that the Hurricanes (especially Hurricane I types) flying today don't have prop spinners that look original. Are there no accurate drawings or original spinners remaining? Spitfires don't seem to have that problem.

Richard

[Joe Scheil]

The recreation, replica rebuild argument was perhaps most pertinent twenty years ago, in the year 2000. At that time the first nearly new Mustangs were being done, and several other types were being created with substantially new assemblies. There were also some good originals around. In 2018, things are again nearly twenty years further along. As we look around, some really hard realizations should be made by those of us in the trenches and on the sidelines.

The IL-2 that came out of the water is a great starting point. Its a hugely significant and original artifact. Is it the last best one? And if so, even though it can be restored, SHOULD IT? We can new build a plane that will be accurate, exact and good for another 100 years. If someone restores this one, the original paint, finish, construction inconsistencies and alloys will be replaced with something else. It will be the restoration of an original plane, but cease to be original. Forever. We are at a point where preservation must identify with unrestored artifacts foremost.

A restored aircraft is never original. It may be authentic, and to original specifications, but it will never be original. it is restored, and that means a host of different things. As another example, has anyone looked at the way Spitfires were painted in 1940, during the height of the blitz, with what materials were available, and painted one that way? Doubtful. There are some original paint Spitfires, but none survive I believe with their factory application of paint. Should one come out of the water perhaps, even if it was restorable, it would seem a great tragedy to lose it to restoration.

Hurricanes were made of wood and steel with some aluminum thrown in...well actually I guess it was the other way around. In any case the industry can provide a paperwork provenance with a Hurricane to factory spec. There are no more originals, and in fact the only substantially original Hurri's were extant in 1970. Oshkosh Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion winners this year both did not exist between the years 1950 to 2000. That's a pretty amazing statistic. Most of what we will see the industry support and create in the next few decades is substantially new. That does not mean its not authentic or real. Its a Spitfire. Its a Mustang. If you are in the enviable position to purchase such a machine, your money gets to decide how much original metal exists in your plane. If you choose to find an unrestored Mustang that is ALL NAA metal, they are very very rare. I believe in decades hence they may be worth far more than they are now. However, it is not a usable object with utility. Regardless, The market will ALWAYS decide.

A long speech, I know. But there are truly no real completely "original" (metal and wood) ones flying. Let us not diminish the achievement of authentic restoration with pointless percentage original discussions. Wood metal and money can be replaced....but when a Spitfire or Hurricane is done correctly, from a frame or data plate and it soars over Kent in memory of The FEW. Its priceless. Let this practice continue without criticism.

Attachments

[k5083]

That does not mean its not authentic or real. Its a Spitfire. Its a Mustang.

The rest of your post could be read as the negation of those statements.

August

[airnutz]

Hurricane BE505 to be a 2 seater...there's another one for the bucket list! Yippee! The Finnish Air Force Museum has a pretty original Hurricane I preserved. It received some newly painted hakaristi a few years back, but the rest is mostly period IIRC.

[Invader26]

Great rebuild.

FYI my AT-28D-5 [started life as an A Model] that we recovered from Laos many moons ago was a complete unbent aircraft. During our restoration to flying condition it was discovered that:

- Centre fuselage one serial number
- RH outer wing panel another number
- LH outer wing panel yet another
- Centre section wings different again
- Rear fuselage different to centre fuselage
- Engine mount/cowls from a B model [still had big traces of International Orange on them!]

Not sure about flaps and control surfaces.

It was given a number 50-273 and log books showed this...

Was it an original AT-28D-5?

[Lon Moer]

I don't really see the difference between a 'Data Plate' build and the Ferrari level over restoration of the Oshkosh winners.