Fortunate to catch Hurricane IIa P3351/marked as P3143/OO-MKT at Duxford today having arrived from from Wattisham on Monday.
The airframe has a remarkable history as a Battle of France veteran serving with 73 Sqn, later joining 32 Sqn and 71 (Eagle) Sqn.
After rework as a Mk.IIA, she went to Russia as DR393, being recovered from a crash site in 1991.
A long rebuild saw her flying in 2000 in New Zealand as ZK-TPL, before moving to France in 2013 as F-AZXR.
Initially intended to become a two-seater, she is now owned by a Czech Museum collection. Engineering will be centred in Belgium.
P3143 served with 310 Sqn at Duxford from July 1940, achieving 6 victories before being destroyed in October 1940. (Aircraft history provided by the very knowledgeable David Whitworth)
18/03/2025
Something new...
12/03/2025
Today at Duxford...
Two seater Hurricane (Twocane or Toucane?) BE505
was flying, "Marinell" was sunbathing with TE462, the Comet 4 G-APDB was looking at a
future outside after being 'evicted' following 19 comfortable years in
Airspace and the Harrier GR3 XZ133 was back on terra firma for the time being after hovering for many years in Airspace...
05/03/2025
What a difference a week makes...
...compared to the wet weather of last Wednesday, it was almost summer-like today. PT462 was active again and Hurricane R4118 was flying towards days end...
26/02/2025
After the rain....
After a morning of heavy rain, the clouds parted around 2pm and PT462 and PV202 were pulled out for a flight...
PT462 in her temporary new scheme looking very nice...
BBMF's Dakota, in her new SEAC scheme was being squeezed into H2 and their Chipmunk watched on...
I don't often get the same types of the first two aircraft I have flown in, in the same frame (C-47/DC-3 in 1956 from Lydd to Wick and a Chipmunk around 1970 from what is now Inverness Airport...
15/02/2025
12/02/2025
29/01/2025
Tempest Wednesday
Hawker Tempest Tempest Mk.II MW763/G-TEMT was airborne this morning over Duxford. Very distracting as I was sat in my portakabin trying to work!!!
Later after a bit of a rub down she was towed back into H2...
15/01/2025
09/01/2025
Look through the rectangle window today...
First day back in 2025 working in the VR department and more gun camera film! Lunchtime 'sortie' down to the winter exhibition "Scramble" and then on to the ARCo hangar...
T9s PV202, PT462 and MJ444 all in various states of 'undress' and Hurricane/'Twocane' BE505 also getting some TLC.