G-HHII
The history of this aircraft is one which begins at the Canadian Car & Foundry Company factory, Canada in 1942 as construction number: CCF/R20023. CCF produced some 1,451 Hurricanes under license in the early years of World War II. On completion this Hurricane joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and served as a home based fighter for the duration of the war. At the end of her military service she was refurbished to 'as new' condition and then sold off to the private sector, as were most surviving RCAF Hurricanes at that time. Many became much needed 'hardware stores' donating their parts to keep the tractors and machinery running on the many enormous farms of the Canadian prairie. But this aircraft was lucky and remained substantially intact, to be re-discovered by Tony Ditheridge in Canada in the 1990's as a very complete airframe with most major components intact. Returning to the UK, we began the restoration work in 2005. The comprehensive restoration was completed in January 2009 and saw this rare Hurricane rolled out in her fighter-bomber configuration resplendent in the markings of BE505, a Manston based Mk IIB operated by 174 (Mauritius) Squadron in spring, 1942. Her first flight took place from North Weald on 27 January 2009.
All the following photo's were taken by Andrew Critchell LRPS www.aviationphoto.co.uk
