Shuttleworth Sea Hurricane takes a bird strike

The damaged area appears to be behind / within the area of the prop arc but there are no reports of prop damage so an interesting trajectory?

Combat Report Form F

11th August 2013

I was flying a Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk 1b Serial Z7105 on 11th August 2013 over Shuttleworth Aerodrome when I spotted the Enemy Kite (correction it was not a Kite but a Pigeon – Intelligence Officer) preparing to dive bomb the field at 1000 feet. I took immediate action and managed to “wing it” with my starboard wing. The pigeon was totally destroyed

I claim 1 kill 100% Write-off as witnessed by a few thousand people

signed Keith Dennison

Found this on the Shuttleworth Collection facebook page: (free for all to view) https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-shuttleworth-collection/sea-hurricane-v-pigeon-score-draw/10151763956499476

and the fact that the PRXI PRU screen has horrible distortion! PL983 had a fighter (internal armoured glass) one fitted too (started off with the PRU screen then off it came!).

It shows how, even at slow speeds, how much energy there is from a birdstrike. Hence why we wear clear visors down

………and why Peter Teichman has a fighter windscreen on his Spitfire PR.XI

I had not considered that! Sorry for my incorrect diagnosis of when it might have happened! That would also explain the minimal visible damage to the fairing (which would have been worse if it had been the first bit hit by the bird). There is not much to damage in there so (once through the skin – that is not speculation!), with any luck, the leading edge took most of the energy/damage.

I repaired a Hunter nose that had taken a bird in the 1990s (XE601) for our static Hunter – the skin took most of the damage at that much higher speed.

It shows how, even at slow speeds, how much energy there is from a birdstrike. Hence why we wear clear visors down

I think the Sea Hurricane won…

[ATTACH=CONFIG]219754[/ATTACH]

It’s needed a repaint for years,

Why? – it’s refreshing to see a “used” finish for a change

It’s needed a repaint for years, might be perfect opportunity for a rebuild like the Spits getting.

There’s the little matter of a Wildcat project to deal with first. And the Spitfire is still a way off.

It’s needed a repaint for years, might be perfect opportunity for a rebuild like the Spits getting.

Well, the pigeon has come off a lot worse than the Hurricane – I don’t think there’s enough even for a data plate restoration!

I’m a little surprised (as an armchair pilot, I should point out, so I’m more than happy to be educated by those who can) that the pilot didn’t hear a bang, and call off the display given the size of the hole that pidge made – or maybe he knew it was a tough old bird*, and carried on? Anyone with an educated view on that one?

AG

*parse that as you will!

From what I can see, it may be easier to replace the skin on the leading edge. It will also depend on what structural damage has been done. I don’t fancy being the poor ****** who has to clean out the mess. Still, it could’ve been a seagull – think rotten fish smell…. 🙂

What would be the approved repair scheme for damage like that – would it be a case of beating out the dent (if you can gain access) and attaching a plate over the tear or will it require replacing the whole panel?

Just interested

Interesting colour variation on the port u/c door already……

IMG_6498 by shuttleworthpix, on Flickr

IMG_6509 by shuttleworthpix, on Flickr

The photograph I took in in my reply at #10 was taken at 1653, the Hurricane landed at 1701 so it was during the display as Mike J says.

When they repair it can they please use paints that would only have been available to the repair crew. ie nearly but not quite the correct colours and applied with a brush.
(Aeronut, a fan of warbirds that look lived in and not over restored)

No, it hit whilst the undercarriage was retracted, on run-in over the horse paddock behind the airfield.

Looks like it probably hit on gear retraction sequence. With any luck, the damage is limited to leading edge skin and Mr One-sheet!

IMG_6552 by shuttleworthpix, on Flickr

HurriPigeon by shuttleworthpix, on Flickr

The hole can be seen in this shot I took during the display

IMG_9994 by Martin D Stitchener, on Flickr