The Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's contribution to the first day of the Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2019, was this paired display by one of each of their Spitfires and Hurricanes. Avro Lancaster PA474 was due to attend, but unfortunately a fault with the aircraft precluded this.
Supermarine Spitfire PR (Photo Reconnaissance) Mk.XIX, PM631, flown by Squadron Leader Mark Discombe:-
Built in November 1945 as a high altitude photo reconnaissance aircraft with a Griffon 66 engine and pressurised cockpit, PM631 was delivered to the RAF in 1946 so she was too late to see any operational service. This is the BBMF's longest serving aircraft.
PM631 is presented as a PR XIX of No 541 Squadron which performed photographic reconnaissance missions over the Europe from early 1944 to the end of the war.
Hawker Hurricane Mk.II, LF363, flown by Squadron Leader Mark Sugden:-
Hurricane LF363 was built as a cannon-armed Mk IIC at the Hawker Aircraft factory at Langley, near Slough in Berkshire, during the latter part of 1943. The aircraft’s first flight was completed on New Year’s Day, 1st January 1944.
Hurricane LF363was the last Hawker Hurricane to enter service with the Royal Air Force. It served operationally with the RAF during World War Two on coastal shipping protection and air defence patrols off the east coast of Scotland, and other second-line duties. In 1948 LF363 was sent, probably for scrapping, back to Hawkers at Langley. Fortunately, it was saved from that fate. LF363 was subsequently held and maintained, rather unofficially, by a series of front-line squadrons and Station Flights between 1949 and 1956, flying on ceremonial occasions such as leading the Battle of Britain flypasts in London each year.
In July 1957, after a major re-fit at Hawkers, LF363 became a founding aircraft of the RAF Historic Flight, the forerunner of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), when the Flight was inaugurated at Biggin Hill. It is probably no exaggeration to state that without this Hurricane the BBMF would probably never have existed.
Unfortunately, LF363’s service with the BBMF has not been continuous, as on 11th September 1991 it suffered an engine mechanical failure, which resulted in a crash landing at RAF Wittering. The aircraft was seriously damaged by the crash and the ensuing fierce fire; fortunately the pilot escaped with only a broken ankle and minor burns. LF363 was completely re-built by Historic Flying Ltd between 1994 and 1998 when it flew again for the first time in seven years, subsequently re-joining the BBMF.
LF363 now appears as an eight-machine-gun-armed Mk IIA and always wears Battle of Britain era colour schemes.
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