THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN
HURRICANES
Hurricanes were much harder to come by than the twenty
Spitfires.
Here are a few of the Hurricanes that appeared in the movie.
The famed Henlow line-up. The Shuttleworth Collection's Sea Hurricane Ib Z7015
is nearest the camera, while Spitfires trail off into the distance.
Fuselage letter codes were later applied with tape so that they could be changed
as needed.
(Photo from Roy Bonser, most
text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The Photo Album")
One of the movie's six Hurricanes waits for its new fabric covering before
taking its place in the cadre of film fighters.
(Photo from the Jean-Michel
Goyat Collection, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
At the end of filming, aircraft were returned to their owners, or in the case of
those owned by Spitfire Productions, put up for sale. Sir William Roberts
pruchased Hawker
Hurricane XII G-AWLW, along with the two Spitfire TR.9s. The 'Hurri' is seen
here at Simpson's Aero Services Elstree facility immediately after its
involvement in Battle of Britain.
(Photo from the Robert J.
Rudhall Collection, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
At the RAF Henlow press launch for the film in April 1968, a number of wartime
fighter aces were present to add weight to the film-makers cause.
Here, Robert Stanford Tuck poses on the wing of Hawker Hurricane IIc PZ865.
(Photo from Roy Bonser, text
from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The Photo Album")
Hurricane XII G-AWLW eventually ended up back home in Canada. Purchased by the
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum it was a regular participant at airshows in
North America and is seen here at Hamilton, Ontario, in 1989. Sadly it was
destroyed in a hangar fire at CWH in 1993. A sad loss indeed!
(Photo from Robert J. Rudhall,
text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The Photo Album")
Battle of Britain Flight's Hurricane IIc LF363 takes centre stage in this view,
while seven other fighters bring up the rear.
(Photo from the Brian
Williams Collection,, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film -
The Photo Album")
Hawker Hurricane IIc LF363 banks away from the camera. (This is the same
aircraft as in the photo above this one.) Despite wearing full squadron
codes
and Polish insignia, the fighter is still adorned with Battle of France black
and white undersides. Surely a slip up on behalf of the film's continuity
department?
(Photo from Peter Sargent,
text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The Photo Album")
Hurricane I P2617 normally was on display at Bicester before the movie.
(photo from Air Pictorial
Magazine, September 1967)
Hurricane IIB CF-SMI was the first aircraft to arrive from overseas (from
Canada),
having done so carried within a USAF Globemaster aircraft.
(photo from Air Pictorial
Magazine, September 1967)
Battle of Britain Flight Hurricane II LF363 at Duxford in August 1968.
(photo by Mike Springett via
Aircraft Magazine)
Hurricane XII G-AWLW, brought in from Canada, on finals for Duxford.
(photo by Tony Clarke via
Aircraft Magazine)
This is one of six Hurricanes used in the movie.
Note the Polish air force marking under the engine exhaust stacks.
(photo from Flight
International Magazine, September 11, 1969)
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