'The One that got Away'

I was an Engine Mech stationed at Waterbeach from ’52 to ’56 and there was only one Hurricane, LF 363, there during that time and it was kept with the other station flight aircraft in the ASF hangar where I worked.

Thanks, David.

One frame -Bob Coles said he acquired it from Dunsfold where it had been used as a spares source. Its the frame that Ross now has.

I’m confused, David!

So Bob Coles acquired a Hurricane frame that went to Lasham and this was the frame that Xtangomike acquired and then passed on to Ross McNeil? Or there were two?? Or Bob Coles acquired it from Ross McNeil?

Anyway, whatever the story, do we know its provenance? Was it one of the NAPS frames? And might it once have been at Warnham?

Thats what I meant ! There was one frame there that Bob said he got from Dunsfold. It was stored in the shed on the other side of the road.

Yes same one – stored over in the SWAAPS shed on the other side of the road.

No David, the fuselage frame of a Hurricane stored in one of the many sheds occupied by the now defunct SAWWAPS museum at Lasham, went to Ross McNiell for his rebuild project.
Other than that there would have to have been two fusalages at Lasham. (very unlikely)

Yes same one – stored over in the SWAAPS shed on the other side of the road.

I am pretty sure that Xtangomike recently moved on some Hurricane remains (fuselage?) ex Lasham.

The Lasham remains I was told were acquired by Bob Coles when he was at Dunsfold.

I recall a fairly complete fuselage frame (the tubular sections with stainless steel joints only) that sat behind the hangar at what was the Warnham War Museum c. late 1970s.

What became of that?

Did it end up at Lasham? If so, was this the fuselage remnants that were quite recently moved on by Xtangomike??

IIRC, the proposed volume was to be Hawker Survivors and was to cover the Hawker biplanes and the Hurricane. I was approached to provide some of the photos and duly sent some to the author but book was never published.

Tim

It would be a lot bigger now, as there are quite a few more survivors. I wonder if the publishers of the ‘boo’ fancy doing another one! It would only take one volume I reckon.

Bruce

Whatever became of the Hurricane Survivors book – presumably it was planned in the Aston Publications series. Any chance that the updated information might be published in a (smaller) companion volume to the Spitfire Survivors volumes?

Although a bit of a ‘zombie’ thread I was recently talking to my pal Kevin Patience who photographed the Hurricane perched atop the scrap pile. From his photo, I think B&W, it seemed a little more intact than in the image here – but it was a while ago that I saw it.

I will direct Kevin to this thread, and maybe encourage him to post. My recall is that he told me the scrappie wanted £25 for it, but he didn’t have the money!

“however one part does still remain having been removed from the airframe at Hounslow by an enthuiast……”

If that part was the dataplate w may have another survivor yet!!

I’m reliably informed that it is LF751 (including parts from Z3687 & PG593) which was displayed statically at Waterbeach before being moved to Bentley Priory. It has now been restored by the Medway Aircraft Preservation Society and is displayed at Manston as “BN230”.

As far as I can tell, Waterbeach had several Hurricanes on site in the late 1940s, LF363 was the Station Commander’s pride and joy and it was maintained in flying condition by using parts from Z3687, LF751 and PG593. It was part of the Waterbeach Station Flight until 1954.

How about starting a “Waterbeach Hurricanes” thread?

I wonder why realative youngster LF751 was saved for display purposes when Z3687 had a much more glorious war record and judging from pix shown here still in reasonable shape? Had the 1950s Waterbeach groundcrews forgotten its heritage and perhaps picked the lowest hours airframe to keep?

I am surprised they got any of PG499’s cowlings to fit L1592!!

…..”When the Science Museum Hurricane Mark 1, L1592, was being rebuilt in the early 1960’s by Hawkers for display in the new exhibition hall at South Kensington, certain parts were required to complete the airframe, so a request was made to the Air Ministry for assistance, as it happened the remains of PG499 were available from an RAF scrap dump, and in due course they were delivered to Dunsfold to assist in the rebuild of L1592, it is believed that some cowlings from PG499 were used in this rebuild.

I’m reliably informed that it is LF751 (including parts from Z3687 & PG593) which was displayed statically at Waterbeach before being moved to Bentley Priory. It has now been restored by the Medway Aircraft Preservation Society and is displayed at Manston as “BN230”.

As far as I can tell, Waterbeach had several Hurricanes on site in the late 1940s, LF363 was the Station Commander’s pride and joy and it was maintained in flying condition by using parts from Z3687, LF751 and PG593. It was part of the Waterbeach Station Flight until 1954.

How about starting a “Waterbeach Hurricanes” thread?

G-ORDY,

Fascinating stuff. Well I did say “beyond reasonable doubt”.

So was PG499 one of the Hurricanes gathered to Waterbeach in the 1950’s to support LF363, pre embryonic Memorial flight?

Here is a shot of another Hurricane of this time. Although the slide came with no caption, I have a shot of PK664 with the identical logo ‘1940 Jul Oct’ set on identical concrete section. It would seem the Spitfire and Hurricane were on display as a pair. Caption on the back of the Spitfire shot is ‘Waterbeach BoB 1961’.

So which Hurricane is this?

Mark

Image: Peter Foote

Positive ID

Despite my earlier suggestion that it may have been the mortal remains of Z3687 (which had a very distinguished wartime history and then became the Farnborough-based laminar flow experimental Hurricane with wings built by Armstrong Whitworth … hence the all white colour scheme) I have been contacted by someone who examined the wreck in Coley’s Yard and who liberated a significant artefact from it – which he still owns.

He has confirmed that the identity was PG499 (5500M).

Here are some quotes from his email to me:

…..”This Hurricane had spent some time on display “near Chester” in the early 1950’s, later being at Castle Bromwich airfield in 1955.

…..”When the Science Museum Hurricane Mark 1, L1592, was being rebuilt in the early 1960’s by Hawkers for display in the new exhibition hall at South Kensington, certain parts were required to complete the airframe, so a request was made to the Air Ministry for assistance, as it happened the remains of PG499 were available from an RAF scrap dump, and in due course they were delivered to Dunsfold to assist in the rebuild of L1592, it is believed that some cowlings from PG499 were used in this rebuild.

Once L1592 was completed, the remains of PG499 were no longer required, and they passed to Coley’s yard along with assorted Hunter scrap from Dunsfold and Kingston.

All of this happened before the preservation movement really started, however by the time Hamish Mahaddie started looking for Hurricanes and Spitfires in the mid 1960`s for “The Battle of Britain” film most of the remains of PG499 had passed-on to the smelter……… …..however one part does still remain having been removed from the airframe at Hounslow by an enthuiast……

So now we know!

(All will be revealed when “Hurricane Survivors” is published in 2008/2009)