Hawker Hurricane Mk.1, V7497 (G-HRLI) displaying at IWM Duxford's Flying Finale on 8th October 2022. The pilot is Trev Duggan, who is an ex RAF Tornado navigator and was flying only his second ever public display in a Hawker Hurricane.
Hurricane V7497 was manufactured by Hawker Aircraft Ltd in August 1940. It was given Hawker construction number 41H-136172 and allocated RAF serial number V7497. It was delivered to the Royal Air Force (RAF) No.20 Maintenance Unit (MU) at RAF Aston Down in Gloucestershire, where further equipment was installed and it was prepared for service.
It was issued to 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron at RAF Kenley, on 19th September 1940. 501 was an Auxiliary Air Force (AuAF) Squadron within the RAF, made up of volunteer pilots who had already been heavily committed in combat in France and England prior to and during the Battle of Britain.
V7497's first operational use was for an uneventful operational patrol between 4.50 and 5.10pm on 24th September 1940, flown by Sergeant Cyril Joseph Saward.
The aircraft was used again on each of the following four days, but for only six more operational sorties, before it was shot down and lost in combat with German Messerchmitt Bf109s over Kent on 28th September.
Just before 10am more than 120 enemy aircraft approached the Kent coast near Deal, with 70 crossing the coast in two waves and flying inland. The first wave of 30 enemy aircraft flew towards Biggin Hill. Six of them managed to press on further to reach London.
The second wave of 40 enemy aircraft flew as far as Maidstone. Both waves were intercepted by RAF Spitfire and Hurricane fighter aircraft from 17 Squadrons including 501 Squadron (RAF Kenley), 41 Squadron and 603 Squadron (RAF Hornchurch), 605 Squadron (RAF Croydon) and 66 Squadron (RAF Gravesend).
Flying towards the second wave of enemy aircraft were 6 aircraft from 605 Squadron, ahead and above twelve Hurricanes from 501 Squadron. They were attacked by 12 Bf109s from 8./JG26 and Pilot Officer Rogers and Hurricane V7497 were 'shot down'.
As a result Hurricane V7497 crashed at Chartway Street, East Sutton, near Maidstone. Its pilot, Pilot Officer Everett Bryan Rogers, parachuted to safety.
P/O Rogers (RAF number 81373) was a member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR). He had joined the RAFVR in July 1937, was 'called up' on 1st September 1939 and completed his training with No.11 Flying Training School at Shawbury between 31st January and 29th June, 1940. During July he was trained to fly Hurricanes and arrived at RAF Kenley on 4th August when he joined 615 Squadron. He was moved to 501 Squadron , also at RAF Kenley, on 12th September. On 15th September he destroyed a German Dornier Do17 bomber during combat over Kent - this was to be his only operational victory as a fighter pilot. He remained with 501 Squadron until October 1940, survived the war after transferring to a Halifax Bomber Squadron (640 Squadron), rose to the rank of Squadron Leader and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and a 'mention in despatches'.
V7497 was one of 6 RAF fighters - 4 Spitfires and 2 Hurricanes - lost, and 4 pilots killed, during this combat on a day when 16 RAF Fighter Command aircraft were lost and 9 RAF pilots killed in combat over south east England.
The surface wreckage of the aircraft was cleared from the site immediately afterwards. An 'archaeological' dig during the 1990s recovered significant remains of V7497, which had been buried quite deeply due to the Hurricane's angle and impact speed when it crashed. Parts included the aircrafts identity plates and many others that were later used in its restoration. These were acquired by Tony Ditheridge of Hawker Restorations and this Hurricane V7497 is the result of a 'full airworthy rebuild' - effectively a completely new Hurricane aircraft built around the original identity plates and other useable recovered parts, which are said to amount to about a quarter to a third of the aircraft. The Hurricane has been completed as close to its original condition as possible. This includes an original Merlin Mk.III engine which was restored, with modifications such as split cylinder banks and a modern oil filter system, designed to extend its operational life.
The rebuild of Hurricane V7497 was completed with its first flight at Hawker Restorations facility at Elmsett, Suffolk on 30th August 2018. It was then flown to the Imperial War Museum airfield at Duxford, where it is now based flying under the management of the Aircraft Restoration Company.
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