Last of the Few

Driving out of Cambridge today, I went south on the M11 as I needed to see someone at Babraham. As I approached Duxford, the old WWII airfield, that is now part of the Imperial War Museum, I saw an aircraft performing aerobatics over the field.

As an ex-pilot myself, to see a plane flown well, is always something I enjoy. From a distance of a few miles, it could have been any single-engined aircraft. But judging by the precise flying, loops and rools, I suspected it was a specialist aerobatic aircraft. Perhaps it was a Yak.

As I came off the motorway, it did another pass.

It was a Hawker Hurricane!

The Supermarine Spitfire is always thought by most people to be the plane that saved the free world in the Battle of Britain. But it was only second fiddle to Sidney Camm's immaculate Hurricane.

It is so emotive, to see one of the most important aircraft in history performing as it should!

My other memory of the Hurricane was years ago when I was crossing the US airbase at Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire when another aircraft called up to do the same in the opposite direction.

The conversation was something like this.

Aircraft (Very clipped wizard prang) - Upper Heyword, this is Hurricane One. Request transit your zone.

Upper Heyford (Texan (?)) - Say again call-sign and aircraft type. Squawk One-Two-Three-Four.

Aircraft - Hurricane One. Type is Hurricane. Negative transponder.

Upper Heyford - Say Again. Call-sign and type is unknown.

Aircraft (Exasperated) - Call-sign is Hurricane One. Type is Hawker Hurricane.

Upper Heyword (After long silence! New Voice!) - Sorry Hurricane One. Mighty fine aircraft you have there! Any chance of a fly-by!

Aircraft - Hurricane One. Affirmative.

A few minutes later.

Uper Heyford - Hurricane One. Wow!

Hurricanes affect people like that!

Years ago on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Battle of Britain, I saw a documentary about the battle.

It was French and it was considered controversial. Why?

Because it stated that we were selfish in calling the epic battle, where a few pilots in Hurricanes and Spitfires, aided by Radar and very strong backup saved the free world from the Nazis, the Battle of Britain.

They said it should have been called the Battle of Europe. It was!

Remember too, that up to twenty percent of those who fought were not British. They numbered Poles, Czechs, Free French, Americans and many others.

So you can understand why a lone Hurricane performing aerobatics is so important!