Battle of Britain Surviving Aircraft

FHC’s 109 flew today.
Norm

The list is now:

Airworthy:

Peter Vacher’s Hurricane R4118.

BBMF’s Spitfire P7350.

Ed Russell’s Bf109E CF-EML (cn 3579).

Flying Heritage Collection’s Bf109E-3.

Tim Wallis’s Hurricane P3351.

Under restoration:

Bristol Blenheim MkI L6739 (sinificant part – Nose).

Possibly an Me 109 E being rebuild (Indian one?).

Unknown:

P3351 may and may not have seen BoB action.

I wouldn’t say so. The general consensus is that the Battle went from 10th July to 31st October 1940. OK, she did sit out quite a large chunk of it, but she did a wee bit….

Seconded Daz, even if she did sit out all of August 1940 at the repair unit she was in Squadron service in July and September so YES she is a B of B survivor, ok R4118 saw more fighting than most but be it one mission patrolling a convoy off the North Sea or on the other hand battling with the Luftwaffe over Southern England they both ‘did their bit’ for the cause. Put it on the list!

Tom

P.S. Smudge, very interested to hear of the MKI nose section’s past, thanks for sharing 🙂

AVRO built Blenheims

AVRO built Blenheims at Chedderton and it appears not to be well known.
They were –
MkIs L6954-L6843
MkIVs N3522-N3545 N3551-N3575 N3578-N3604 N3608-N3631
R2770-R2799 Z5721-Z5770 Z5794-Z5818 Z5860-Z5909
Z5947-Z5991 Z6021-Z6050 Z6070-Z6104 Z6144-Z6193
Z6239-Z6283 Z6333-Z6382 Z6416-Z6455 Z9533-Z9552
Z9572-Z9621 Z9647-Z9681 Z9706-Z9755 Z9792-Z9836
AE449-AE453
The vast majority of all other Blenheims MkIs, MKIVs and MKVs where built by the Rootes Group shadow factories apart frpm initial batches built by Bristol who went over to production of Beaufighters.

Smudge

Re post #34, the Falcos were shipped to Sweden and assembled right here in Gothenburg. So please send our Falco back when it’s complete! We have just the right place for it in our Aeroseum!

It is L6739 built by AVRO

Interesting! I never knew Avro built Blenheims!

BoB Survivors

The Bristol Blenheim MkI nose we are restoring at DX is a BoB survivor, althought I do appreciate it is not a complete aircraft it is a sinificant part, and of course will fly again.
It is L6739 built by AVRO and delivered to 23 Sqdn on 2nd Sept 1939 and served as a night fighter throughout 1940 and was struck off charge December 1940.

Smudge

I’ve checked on the TFC Falco, it’s from Sweden, however it was delivered during the period of the Battle, could it not have been from squadron service in France, or were they all specific new builds.

All the Fiat CR.42s (J 11) delivered to Sweden were new built a/c! Date of delivery for FV-no. 2542 (now G-CBLS) was 21.05.41.

re

Did that scheme ever get off the ground or was it just an idea? I read they were planning on using tigers and magisters to drop poison gas on our unwanted visitors coming across the channel…

Weren’t some Tiger Moths fitted with bomb racks and as a consiquence anti-spin stakes as an anti-invasion measure? Wouldn’t such a mod make them defenders?

re

The Stuka at hendon is a later variant isnt it, albeit painted up as a BoB example. I did read they wanted to restore it to fly for the movie but there wasnt enough time. Be curious to know if they ever used the rest of the RAFM collection for set dressing in that movie…

Though not considered part of the Battle, would it not be possible that some of the currently flying Tiger Moths may have been in use as station hacks and consequently had a few narrow escapes and brushes with the enemy.
Without carrying out a detailled trawl through the net, the same criteria might apply to the Dragon Rapides that are about.
I’ve looked up the history of the TFC Gladiator, and while, apparently not being hurled into the fray, it was no doubt on standby and serving with a squadron at the time, unlike the Shuttleworth example that was in store during the Battle, though no doubt if things had got desperate, it would have got pulled out and used.
I forgot to look up the TFC CR-42, but the example at Hendon was involved, along with their Defiant, but yes, they ain’t going to fly again, so discounted.
There must be several a/c in the Shuttleworth collection, that, while not having been willing participants, may have had a few interesting moments.

I’ve checked on the TFC Falco, it’s from Sweden, however it was delivered during the period of the Battle, could it not have been from squadron service in France, or were they all specific new builds.

Personally i see BoB as the defence of britain (or the attempt to gain air superiority by the Germans). Taking part in the defence/attack, would be any aircraft that had combat missions in the timeperiod/area.

General military flying (training and logistics) are in my eyes not combat (even if there might have been combat around them). Although they might have been equally important to the eventual outcome.

However, if as you suggest, one of the aircraft happened to become involved in the fighting, they are surely veterans too. I’m just pretty sure, that any Dragon rapide that accidentally became involved, is no longer with us.

The Germans might have non-combat aircraft too, but i wouldn’t consider them veterans either.

Though not considered part of the Battle, would it not be possible that some of the currently flying Tiger Moths may have been in use as station hacks and consequently had a few narrow escapes and brushes with the enemy.
Without carrying out a detailled trawl through the net, the same criteria might apply to the Dragon Rapides that are about.
I’ve looked up the history of the TFC Gladiator, and while, apparently not being hurled into the fray, it was no doubt on standby and serving with a squadron at the time, unlike the Shuttleworth example that was in store during the Battle, though no doubt if things had got desperate, it would have got pulled out and used.
I forgot to look up the TFC CR-42, but the example at Hendon was involved, along with their Defiant, but yes, they ain’t going to fly again, so discounted.
There must be several a/c in the Shuttleworth collection, that, while not having been willing participants, may have had a few interesting moments.

I’ve checked on the TFC Falco, it’s from Sweden, however it was delivered during the period of the Battle, could it not have been from squadron service in France, or were they all specific new builds.

Does anyone know whether the FHC 109 has actually flown??? It certainly hadn’t before it left the UK, if not then technically it must still be under restoration surely.

Should we just say it’s “airworthy” and leave it at that?

Does anyone know whether the FHC 109 has actually flown??? It certainly hadn’t before it left the UK, if not then technically it must still be under restoration surely.

Thats the finer details.

Airworthy vs flying.

Hopefully someone is in the know.

Another thing is the Bf109 mentioned as the Indian. If its the aircraft that (at least the indians think so) went missing, is there any confirmation on BoB action?

I read it had landed in the UK in 1939, but i also remember seeing 1940 somewhere. Anyone know more?

Does anyone know whether the FHC 109 has actually flown??? It certainly hadn’t before it left the UK, if not then technically it must still be under restoration surely.

This link says otherwise…. 😉

FHC Bf109E

Yes, lets move it up the list 😀

Airworthy:

Peter Vacher’s Hurricane R4118.

BBMF’s Spitfire P7350.

Ed Russell’s Bf109E CF-EML (cn 3579).

Flying Heritage Collection’s Bf109E-3.

Under restoration:

Possibly an Me 109 E being rebuild (Indian one?).

Unknown:

P3351 may and may not have seen BoB action.

So the FHC Bf109 is flying, thats cool.

I checked their website

http://www.flyingheritage.com/TemplateTopImages.aspx?contentId=36

Its listed as “Currently Under Restoration”, but they might not update their site often.

This link says otherwise…. 😉

FHC Bf109E

The FHC Bf109 is not under rebuild. It was rebuilt in the UK and completed a while back – there are photos of it doing engine runs. Unknown if it has actually flown, but certainly rebuilt to flying condition.

I **nearly** added Spitfire Ia P9374 to the list (under rebuild to fly) but, after a spot of browsing, I found she was shot down in May 1940….

So the FHC Bf109 is flying, thats cool.

I checked their website

http://www.flyingheritage.com/TemplateTopImages.aspx?contentId=36

Its listed as “Currently Under Restoration”, but they might not update their site often.

The FHC Bf109 is not under rebuild. It was rebuilt in the UK and completed a while back – there are photos of it doing engine runs. Unknown if it has actually flown, but certainly rebuilt to flying condition.

I **nearly** added Spitfire Ia P9374 to the list (under rebuild to fly) but, after a spot of browsing, I found she was shot down in May 1940….