Fact is, not that many Americans are in the market for a Hurricane (not much US history, and it might require some specialist maintenance) or Shack, or Vulcan….or come to think of it, a P-47 or P-51.

There are currently five flying in US/Canada plus the Lone Star example under repair. The HAC Hurricane was built in Canada!

Peter has asked me to post the following on his behalf:

I would like to thank everyone for their very kind and humbling comments. Yes, this is my last display season but to be accurate, Southport 2018 will not in fact be my last display. That will be at Old Warden on 7th October 2018 when I will bow out after a long time on the display circuit. It’s been a fabulous, amazing time and I am very grateful to all that have enriched my life in this wonderful adventure.

UK/Europe based Hurricanes:

1. LF363 – BBMF, RAF Coningsby, UK.
2. PZ865 – BBMF, RAF Coningsby, UK.
3. G-BKTH – (Sea Hurricane), Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden, UK.
4. G-HURI – HAC, Duxford UK.
5. G-HUPW/R4118 – Mk 1 – James Brown, Old Warden ,UK.
6. G-CHTK/AE977/P2921 – Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, UK.
7. G-HHII/’BE505′ – Hangar 11 Collection, N Weald, Essex, UK.
8. G-HITT/P3717, Hawker Hurricane Ltd, Old Warden, Beds, UK.
9. G-ROBT – Anglia Aircraft Restorations Limited, Sywell/Duxford; first flight June 19 2017.
10. F-AZXR/P3351 – (former ZK-TPK), Frizo Roozen, Dijon, France.
11. G-CBOE/AG244 – Karl-Friedmann Grimminger, Munich, Germany.

.

Never thought id see the day

You did in 2008 – seven years ago!

Number then went down to 11 but returned to 12 in 2009. Since then we have seen one aircraft go in to major re-furb (ex Ed Russell) and another return after major restoration (G-CBOE), so its still 12.

But it does look the number will increase to 14 in the next few months.

I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Graham yesterday.

Having first met him 25 years ago when I was a young volunteer at the Charles Church Collection I have retained huge admiration for his knowledge and experience and in particular his encyclopaedic knowledge of all things Spitfire. I was fortunate to stay in touch with Graham since then and have always looked forward to our occasional meetings at North Weald to catch up on the latest happenings.

He was, as mentioned earlier by others who also had the pleasure to know him, a true pioneer in the field of aircraft preservation and a historian of great talent. The two massive volumes, co authored with Gordon Riley and Peter Arnold, Spitfire Survivors Vol.1 and Vol.2, bear true testament to that fact.

Graham will be much missed in our community both here in the UK and around the world but his loss will be felt most keenly by his immediate family. My condolences go out to Graham’s family and close friends at this very sad time.

I think the organisers of Dunsfold, Eastbourne and Bournemouth, to name but three, might disagree with that analysis!

Yes I think they would…

It would be real pain to fill being right underneath the belly – and with the filler being on the low end could not filled to capacity either…