Hobby Master 1/48 HA8651 Hurricane IIc PZ865 BBMF 2016
Detailed model of the last built Hawker Hurricane IIc PZ865 'Last of the Many' which was retained by Hawker Aircraft and presented to the RAF Historic Aircraft Flight in 1972 to become one of the core aircraft of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) at its' formation in 1973 following the restoration of the Lancaster bomber. This historic aircraft is modelled as flying in the 2016 display season as EG-S of 34 squadron in South East Asia Command tropical camouflage scheme (1944) replicating the personal aircraft of Flight Lieutenant Jimmy Whalen DFC.
The Hawker Hurricane was the first British single-engine fighter and the first single wing aircraft with retractable landing gear as well as an enclosed cockpit and 8 machine guns. The Hurricane went into operational service in December 1937 with the RAF 111 Squadron. The Hurricane is usually over looked as a major player in the BoB because of the Spitfire but 80% of the 1,792 German aircraft shot down were because of the Hurricane. There were 14,533 Hurricanes produced in all variants.
Hurricane IIC PZ865 was the last of 14,533 Hurricanes to be built and was given the inscription “Last of the Many” painted on both sides. The aircraft was kept by Hawker and later painted dark blue with gold lettering registered as G-AMAU. In 1972 the aircraft was given to the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight based at RAF Coningsby and painted as JX-E “Night Reaper”. In 2010 it was once again overhauled and flies as 1944 HW840 / EG-S that was piloted by Canadian Flt J. Whalen DFC, SEA Command.