Spitfires and Hurricane - British Fighter Legends

A pair of Supermarine Mk.1A Spitfires, with a Hawker Hurricane Mk.1, at The Imperial War Museum, Duxford during the 2023 Flying Finale.
👉 Lots of fantastic Spitfire films here - • Spitfires
👉 More great Hurricane films here - • Hawker Hurricane
Hurricane P2902 (G-ROBT):-
P2902 was made in 1939 by Gloster Aircraft, one of 2750 Hurricanes built by them. It was accepted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 13 May 1940 and was lost, after only 8 hours of flying, on 31 May 1940 at Dunkirk, France while operating with 245 Squadron.
On 31 May 1940 at 1215 hours Hurricane P2902, flown by Pilot Officer McGlashen, together with eight other 245 Squadron Hurricanes, left RAF Hawkinge for Dunkirk, France. This is the first time that P2902 appears in 245 Squadron's Operations record book, so it is likely to have been a replacement aircraft for losses over the previous few days. P2902 was wearing the 245 squadron letter codes 'DX-R'.
A formation of enemy ME109's was sighted at 11,000 ft, but not contacted. When the squadron returned to Hawkinge at 1240hrs, P/O McGlashen was missing. Unseen by his colleagues, he had been shot down.
P2902 was hit on its windscreen and in its cooling system. P/O McGlashen was slightly wounded and temporarily blinded by oil and glycol in his eyes. He put P2902 into a dive and by the time he could see again, he was very low. He force landed and was rescued from some French Colonial troops, who thought that he was German, by British soldiers. He returned to England via Margate on the Thames paddle steamer 'Golden Eagle' and returned to his squadron at Hawkinge.
He fought in the 'Battle of Britain' and throughout the war, which he survived.
Hurricane P2902 remained fairly intact on the beach, under mud and sand. It was recovered by Dunkerque Aero Club in 1989. In 1994 warbird operator Rick Roberts, acquired it from a French Museum in a trade for a Messerschmitt Bf109E. Several restorers were used on P2902 before Hawker Restorations were contracted to return it to flight. It's been restored as it was on its last mission over Dunkirk, including flare mechanisms, parachute tubes, and a ‘short’ Merlin engine with small radiator. Its first post restoration flight was on 19 June 2017.
In May 2016 it was sold to Anglia Aircraft Restorations and in May 2022 transferred to Fighter Aviation Engineering, for whom it is operated and looked after by Air Leasing.
Spitfire P7308/AR213 - (G-AIST):-
This Spitfire was built by Westland Aircraft at Yeovil, UK in 1941 as construction number WASP/20/2. It was assigned RAF serial number AR213 and delivered to the RAF aircraft storage depot at 12 Maintenance Unit (MU), Kirkbride in July 1941. It then went to 57 Operational Training Unit (OTU), Harwarden, where it stayed until February 1943, when it was transferred to 53 OTU at Llandow. Following a number of landing accidents it was repaired, stored and struck off charge in November 1945. It was purchased by Group Captain Allen Wheeler in October 1946. It was then stored at Old Warden and later, Abingdon before being made airworthy for the 1968 movie ‘Battle of Britain’. It was bought by Patrick Lindsay in 1974. A number of ownership changes followed until acquired by the current owner - Spitfire The One Ltd in 2011.
It's powered by a Rolls Royce Merlin 35 and has the colours and markings of Spitfire Mk IIa P7308 XR-D flown by Pilot Officer William R Dunn, of 71 'Eagle' Squadron based at at RAF Hawkinge on 27 August 1941. He was the first American air ace of World War 2.
Spitfire X4650 (G-CGUK):-
This aircraft was built at Supermarine's Woolston works in Southampton and first flew on 23 October 1940. Taken on by the RAF two days later, it went to 24 MU at Tern Hill, before going to 54 Squadron at Catterick.
On 28 December 1940 it was involved in an airborne collision during 'Dogfight' training with a second Spitfire north east of Catterick. Both pilots were fortunately able to bale out.
X4650 crash landed at a shallow angle close to the banks of the River Leven, but despite remaining relatively intact was classified as 'damaged beyond repair' and its remains were pushed into the river. Over time the clay riverbank collapsed around it. In 1976 the remains reappeared and were recovered and placed in storage by local enthusiasts.
The remains were bought in the early 1990's by Peter Monk, who rebuilt it using as much original structure as possible and genuine Mk.1 parts from other sources.
During 2008, Warbird owners Dan and Tom Friedkin from Texas,USA added the aircraft to their 'Comanche Warbirds' collection.
X4650's restoration was completed by The Spitfire Company Limited and she made her first post-restoration flight at Biggin Hill on 9th March, 2012.
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[@453421abcdefg12345]

Excellent video! It would have been nice to have some blue sky , but just to see these flying is a privilege, some interesting history on these as well. Stay safe! Chris B.

[@HighFlight]

Chris, thanks. Hopefully more blue sky next time. It was actually a very nice day, but in October the sun is in quite the wrong position at Duxford at this time of day for the best light from the crowd line.👍

[@JoshHemingwayMetcalfe96]

Great video

[@HighFlight]

Thanks👍