Today, Wednesday, May 17, about 530, Steward Dawson landed NX96RW, Hawker Hurricane at Houston’s DW Hooks Airport, where it will be painted after its 13 year restoration… The approach and landing was uneventful (just how you want ’em!) but exciting!!! What a priceless opportunity to see a Hurricane land in Texas!!
Stewart was greeted with Texas hospitality and a ‘cold beverage’… Tom Gregory, Lone Star Flight Museum chief pilot, was in the cockpit within minutes of its landing, getting checked out by Stewart… Tom will be taking the Hurricane up tomorrow. They covered lots of nuances in its performance, trim, fuel use, etc…
96RW arrived in bare silver… John Stewart, who painted Spitfire MK959, was already checking her out in preparation for painting.
There were a bunch of enthusiasts and friends on hand for 96RW’s arrival. Panels were removed, she was oggled and crawled over, under and through. Eventually she was tucked into the hangar by many eager hands.
I don’t know much about the airplane yet. I believe it was recovered in Newfoundland.
More to follow!!!!
By: China Clipper - 15th January 2008 at 16:39
Now on 2 magazine covers
FlyPast and now the US magazine, Air Classics, has Hurricane on the cover.
Air Classics has many more photos and large article inside about the aircraft recovery and restoration.
Nice to read it will stay local to the LSFM (due to range limitations) … hopefully I will see more of her!
By: CJH - 15th January 2008 at 11:32
Looks good to me.
well done everyone involved in this rebirth
Chris
By: Gretza - 15th January 2008 at 11:19
I think that aircraft BG974 should look a little different. At least serial number of this Hawker Hurricane was painted in different manner.
By: Agent K - 11th January 2008 at 07:24
Very, very Nice!!! Have to see if I can wrangle a visit next time I’m in Houston (my folks live there). Had no idea the Lone Star collection had added that many aircraft. Guess it’s been a while since I moved from Tx (’84)
Last time I was in Houston, a couple T-6’s, a Helldiviver, and something with meatballs on the side buzzed over my folks house (NW outside the loop near the Addix Reservoir) pretty low. Where did they come from and where were they going?
Took a few days vacation in HOU over the New Year and treated my wife and daughter to spending New years Day at the LSFM. Agree there were far more aircraft and interesting ones than I was aware of and that the Hurri looks fantastic. Congrats. to all involved.
By: CSheppardholedi - 10th January 2008 at 23:53
Very, very Nice!!! Have to see if I can wrangle a visit next time I’m in Houston (my folks live there). Had no idea the Lone Star collection had added that many aircraft. Guess it’s been a while since I moved from Tx (’84)
Last time I was in Houston, a couple T-6’s, a Helldiviver, and something with meatballs on the side buzzed over my folks house (NW outside the loop near the Addix Reservoir) pretty low. Where did they come from and where were they going?
By: China Clipper - 10th January 2008 at 16:56
Houston Hurricane done, on FlyPast cover
By now you have seen the Hurricane on the cover of FlyPast, with Tom Gregory flying it. Not too shabby, eh? Good article too.
I went to the Lone Star Flight Museum end of season FLYDAY airshow. WOW, what a museum! in addition to the Hurricane flying, they had the B17G, a B25 and 4 Stearman giving rides. They had 4 YAKS flying in formation, and P47, Wildcat, Hellcat and Corsair lined up taxied out together and flew. A very impressive and well run air show, and museum. www.lsfm.org
Here are “before” and “after” shots, with the refinisher, pilots and lead mech.
Thanks to the team who allowed me to take all those photos! A super bunch of dedicated guys.
By: mike currill - 14th November 2007 at 08:58
It would – although you would have to gather every airworthy Hurricane on the planet to achieve it.
Oh yes, I am aware of that. I was just day dreaming really but it would be a fitting tribute to the type.
By: markstringer - 13th November 2007 at 17:47
would be nice to see an air to air with mike potters vintage warbirds hurri (ex TFC). Its a shame the ex TFC machine didn’t hang around a little longer in the uk as it would have looked nice with the tom blair tropical spit V and the BBMF spit v in desert markings.
By: Mark V - 13th November 2007 at 17:26
We’ve had big flypasts of Spitfires wouldn’t it be good to have just one of a squadron’s worth of Hurricanes at legends?
It would – although you would have to gather every airworthy Hurricane on the planet to achieve it.
By: mike currill - 13th November 2007 at 14:04
We’ve had big flypasts of Spitfires wouldn’t it be good to have just one of a squadron’s worth of Hurricanes at legends?
By: Mark V - 13th November 2007 at 00:50
Minimal markings.
Pity – they were supplied all the info by Clive Denney I was told. They make a nice finishing touch so long as you do not go overboard with them.
they may mark the fuel tank capacities as they sort that out. they were measuring fuel gallons by what was pumped from the fuel truck at the start of the day.
Original wing tanks: 39.5 US Gallons, Reserve (Fuselage) tank 33.5 US Gallons. Oil: 10.75 US Gallons & 1.75 US Gallons air space.
By: China Clipper - 12th November 2007 at 22:59
NX96RW stencils
Minimal markings. nothing at all like Spitfire MK959, done in the same shop that had oodles of markings, stencils, etc.
even the prop is bare of markings, to reflect the aircraft model flown in Africa.
they may mark the fuel tank capacities as they sort that out. they were measuring fuel gallons by what was pumped from the fuel truck at the start of the day.
By: Mark V - 12th November 2007 at 22:53
Hurri looks lovely – but what about the stencils?
By: China Clipper - 12th November 2007 at 17:22
NX96RW airborne at airshow
Sunday, Nov 11, Veterans’ Day, the Lone Star Flight Museum had their end of airshow season Fly Day max effort airshow. It was fantastic!!!!! There was alway something taxiing, flying by. The Hurricane was gassed up about 10am and taxied out to the main show ramp. It flew later on.
At the flightline, B17, B25, 4 Stearman, 1 Vietnam Huey were giving rides all day. Flying in the show were 3 Chinese Yaks, several liason aicraft, Wildcat, Corsair, P47, Hellcat, (these 4 lined up in a row, 3 flew together) Hurricane, Zero, Jap torpedo bomber. Very impressive show of volunteers there too!!!! Very well run show. The museum hangar (huge!) holds a B58 Hustler, PBY, PB4Y Privateer (in restoration), Japanese Baka Bomb (unused LOL), Spitfire, Bearcat, some liason
The Hurricane looked awesome, started and flew flawlessly. I have it on good authority that the exhaust marks come off with Simple Green. 🙂
Nothing headed for Hooks for repaint, maybe an AT6 newly acquired by the musuem for touch up.
What a way to spend Veterans Day (and I got in free for being a vet…)
By: China Clipper - 31st October 2007 at 19:34
Hurricane flys Thursday
Hello sports fans…
News update. Hurricane will do a run up today. Gear were cycle tested yesterday. Many panels back on, still a few to go. some touch up paint will be done here and there. Spinner is on, sexy, eh? A crew of about 8 working diligently… people dropping by to ck in… Aeilerons, flaps on, new magneto fitted. The list goes on… You wonder how they ever fast turned these babies for scrambles in the war. they must have held screwdrivers in each hand. haha
I will miss the flight, if it is tomorrow. The LSFM chief pilot is taking her up. (it’s his hangar here…)
Me? I’m going up to NYC to see my daughter in college in Manahattan. Bad timing… (RATS!) Hurri will be in Galveston the day after it flies. I will see it at their FlyDay airshow Nov 11 down there tho. More pictures then, I promise!
By: Lee Howard - 27th October 2007 at 08:19
She looks absolutely stunning – a hearty congratulations to all involved!
By: JDK - 27th October 2007 at 06:29
GRONE.
Thanks for the photos, and never mind the noise from the cheap seats. 😀
By: Mark12 - 26th October 2007 at 18:34
Dessert Markings
Pudding!
Sweet.
Perhaps ‘Roobarb’ was the technical advisor. 😉
By: Mark V - 26th October 2007 at 17:37
She looks great in those dessert markings!
Pudding!
By: Stieglitz - 26th October 2007 at 16:35
Thanks China Clipper for all those updates. I hope she may fly again soon. She looks great in those dessert markings!
Stieglitz
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May 18, 2006 at 3:52 am