Peter Vacher's Hurricane mk1 engine ran today

This is Peter Vacher whose aircraft you have been discussing. Thank you all for your kind comments.

Just to clear up the discussion regarding the spinner. As we all know, the Hurricane was intially fitted with a Watts 2-bladed prop with a small pointed spinner. This was followed by a De Havilland 2-position prop, followed shortly thereafter with a De Hsavilland costant speed ‘bracket’ prop, both of which had the shorter but rather pointed spinner. About March 1940 the Rotol RX5/2 was introduced on the Hurricane with the rather longer but stubby looking spinner. Subsequently the RS5 superceded the RX5 but the spinner remained the same. All were fitted to the Hurricane I, so the spinner you see on R4118 is exactly correct for the period of the Battle of Britain. What was not shown on Hawker Restorations web site was the badge which fits on the front of the spinner, which is now on in its correct black and pale blue colours.

This aircraft is ACTUALLY the original R4118 which carried the 605 Squadron markings of UP-W during the Battle. It is itself, and not painted to represent some other aircraft. With 49 sorties from Croydon and 5 kills during the Battle, I am told it will be the most historic aircraft flying from WWII.

We look forward to displaying R4118 during 2005.

I personally will feel so proud to see a Fighter that flew from just up the road from where i live now take to the air again.
I hope sometime she will return to Croydon and maybe do the same as the BBMF do and fly over the memorial thats on the old Airport site.

Fantastic 😉 Anna 😀 😀

This is wonderful stuff, roll on 2005!

Hey!

That Hurricane has a Mk. XII spinner!

Check the one CWH used to have (also appeared in BoB), it has the same spinner!

😀 😀 😉 🙂

Is there a date for the first flight ?? 🙂

Peter, indeed a lovely machine. You beat my Spitfire XIVe RM-797 by one kill. It shot down 1 x Me-262, 1 x FW-190, 1 x Ar-234, 1 x Ju-52 in 1945 while serving with 41 Sqn and flown by Australian Tony Gaze.

Blimey!! Time for a seperate thread, methinks… 😉

I wil be very happy to see this fly. An uncle of mine flew with 605 during the BoB. I built a model of one of their a/c.

Great thread, it is wonderful to hear another genuine Battle of Britian Hurricane is getting airborne.

Five kills too, the Buchons better watch out at future airshows. Who was/were the pilot/s that made the kills? Any still alive?

Peter, indeed a lovely machine. You beat my Spitfire XIVe RM-797 by one kill. It shot down 1 x Me-262, 1 x FW-190, 1 x Ar-234, 1 x Ju-52 in 1945 while serving with 41 Sqn and flown by Australian Tony Gaze.

Thirded (from a near neighbour of Peter’s – we havent met).

Thanks for your comments, Sir Henry.

This is one aircraft that I’m really looking forward to seeing, a genuine BofB veteran Hurricane with combat history restored to original spec.

Hopefully we’ll see it out and about next season.

Seconded (from a confirmed Spitfire nut! :D)

This is Peter Vacher whose aircraft you have been discussing. Thank you all for your kind comments.

Just to clear up the discussion regarding the spinner. As we all know, the Hurricane was intially fitted with a Watts 2-bladed prop with a small pointed spinner. This was followed by a De Havilland 2-position prop, followed shortly thereafter with a De Hsavilland costant speed ‘bracket’ prop, both of which had the shorter but rather pointed spinner. About March 1940 the Rotol RX5/2 was introduced on the Hurricane with the rather longer but stubby looking spinner. Subsequently the RS5 superceded the RX5 but the spinner remained the same. All were fitted to the Hurricane I, so the spinner you see on R4118 is exactly correct for the period of the Battle of Britain. What was not shown on Hawker Restorations web site was the badge which fits on the front of the spinner, which is now on in its correct black and pale blue colours.

This aircraft is ACTUALLY the original R4118 which carried the 605 Squadron markings of UP-W during the Battle. It is itself, and not painted to represent some other aircraft. With 49 sorties from Croydon and 5 kills during the Battle, I am told it will be the most historic aircraft flying from WWII.

We look forward to displaying R4118 during 2005.

AE977 – Sea Hurricane MkX, I think, in the markings of 242 Squadron

isnt that the chino Hurricane?

It’s the one now owned by Tom Freidkin last spotted at Chino with an inch of dust on it…. Lovely aeroplane!!!!

isnt that the chino Hurricane?

Still looks rather pointy to me. I think the early-style ones are much blunter :confused:

is this the earlier type spinner?

Brilliant! He’s a really nice chap – popped into the Museum about a year ago spent ages talking to him – he was after an early DH three blader if memory served – we have two – with the counterweight system still attached – shame they’d come from the North Sea!

Fantastic news….always great to see another Hurri in the air….now if Ray Middleton would just finish the Lone Star example which I THOUGHT was gonna be up and running this summer, but apparently isn’t…

Mark

As I understand it the owner and a few others spent a hell of alot of time and effort looking for an original prop but for whatever reason it could not be sourced or used etc. The original was too badly corroded.