When FlyPast last visited the Cambridge Bomber and Fighter Society’s workshops in 2012, both the Hawker Fury and Hawker Hurricane Mk.I were progressing well. Back then, chairman Paul Rogers forecast a 2019 rollout for the latter and Darren Harbar offers a timely update
The distinctive ‘Warren Girder’ structure used in early production fabric-winged Hurricanes is apparent in this view of L1639’s starboard mainplane.
Like many projects, the restoration of the Cambridge Bomber and Fighter Society’s (CBFS) aeroplanes based at Little Gransden, south Cambridgeshire, is restricted by two key factors – resources and finances. There is only so much that can be done on a limited budget, while getting the right kind of volunteer can be just as challenging.
In his 2012 FlyPast report, deputy editor Steve Beebee commented on the “determination or old-fashioned British bloody-mindedness” of CBFS chairman Paul Rogers – the driving force behind these static restorations. This says a great deal about a man who has continued to push the projects forward. It is this effort that has resulted in a future where both the Hawker Fury and Hawker Hurricane Mk.I will be displayed at a location pivotal to their existence.
The Hawker Fury will join the Hurricane at Brooklands once completed. Note the firewall (propped against the undercarriage) waiting to be fitted. ALL DARREN HARBAR UNLESS NOTED
Started in 1997, the CBFS Hurricane is an exciting proposition as Paul has worked relentlessly to incorporate as much original material as possible; the ‘advantage’ of a static project such as this is that it can use far more than an airworthy machine. In most cases, however, there is often a need to utilise parts from several different examples, which in some ways results in more than just one aeroplane being saved – even though it may only carry one identity.
This particular airframe is based on the remains of L1639, a Battle of France veteran shot down over the north of that country on May 14, 1940 while being flown by Sqn Ldr James B Parnall of 504 Squadron. While attacking a flight of Heinkel He 111 bombers, Parnall was intercepted by Messerschmitt Bf 109s of Jagdgeschwader 26 ‘Schlageter’ and downed in the resulting skirmish. Some years later, around 20% of the remains were excavated for use in the restoration. Other airframes involved in this recreation include Z4035 and P3895, along with BD731 and BD736 – both of which were shot down over northern Russia during 1942.
The cockpit area of the Hurricane uses many of the original parts recovered from L1639, which crashed in France on May 14, 1940.
Uncommon mainplanes
Since 2012, the aircraft has quite literally spread its wings. This example of Hawker’s famous fighter rolled out of the firm’s Brooklands facility with rare fabric-covered wings – more commonly known as ‘Rag Wing’ Hurricanes. To Paul’s knowledge, it is one of just a very small number of complete Hurricanes in existence encompassing this feature.
Asked how the wing differs to the later duralumin-covered examples, Paul explained: “This Hurricane has the Warren Girder-based wing – which is the triangle-designed structure interlinking them to the centre section. From 1938 until the end of 1939, the fabric-covered wings fitted to early examples used a series of aluminium ‘top hats’ [rolled metal frames that create the aerofoil shape] that ran back across the width of the wing from the leading-edge wing boxes. These top hats had a small groove that the fabric was placed into before a piece of aluminium was placed on top and rivetted to [anchor it]. A second layer of fabric was then added to cover the strips and rivets, giving it a resilient double skin.
Sitting on its undercarriage in the CBFS Little Gransden workshop, Hurricane L1639 represents a huge amount of man hours and money.
“We expect to start fitting the top hats from the middle of this year with some additional help from a number of Brooklands Museum [Surrey] volunteers who are now assisting us a couple of times a month.” Having just completed its own Hurricane project (Mk.IIa Z2389 – see FlyPast December 2019), Paul expanded on the Brooklands connection: “When Allan Winn was CEO there, he came along with the museum’s committee to have a look around; they were amazed at what we were doing, and the standard of work we were achieving.Their Hurricane is a much later example and wasn’t built there. Allan and I had a lot of correspondence and we agreed that the CBFS aircraft would be displayed at Brooklands once finished to be [shown] alongside theirs. That way they would have a Brooklands-built airframe on site – providing them with a valuable educational tool. For me having the CBFS Hurricane on display where it was built is huge.
“As part of the arrangement, we get support from their volunteers – which has vastly improved the speed at which we can get work done. The great thing is, they are trained engineers and can be allocated jobs – they just get on with it. On top of this support, we’ve gained an extra eight volunteers in the past year, which brings us up to more than 60. This has enabled us to get a lot more accomplished.”
Over the past seven years, the CBFS has repainted and infilled the port wing’s spar and starboard’s Warren Girder structure. With these complete, the next task is to add the control tubes, mount the Browning machine guns and fit an original Mk.51 gun camera. The outer flaps have been assembled and are awaiting covering, along with the rear fuselage, rudder and horizontal stabiliser. Wherever possible, components have been trial-fitted.
While the plan is for the Hurricane to be restored as a static exhibit, there is a possibility the CBFS may fit a working powerplant, as Paul alluded: “Up front we plan to have a running engine – but this may be dictated by Brooklands. They currently have a Rolls-Royce Merlin Mk.II in Z2389, but it should be a Merlin Mk.XX. I have a working Mk.XX here, so there might be an option to put the correct engines in both. We have a two-bladed Watts wooden propeller ready to go for ours as well, along with a restored hub.”
The first of the ‘top hat’ wing structures awaits trial fitting.
With progress steaming ahead, the team is getting ever closer to covering the aircraft with fabric. Paul said: “I am most grateful to Clive Denney at Vintage Fabrics [Audley End, Essex] for his advice to date. It’s highly likely that he will be heavily involved in that exercise, given his extensive knowledge and experience in covering Hawker aircraft.”
Once this is completed, the airframe will be painted using rollers, before being disassembled and taken by road to Brooklands. The aircraft will be finished in the markings of 85 Squadron during the Battle of France in 1940 and carry the codes ‘VYQ’ in memory of Paul’s father Joe. A leading aircraft fitter with the unit post-May 1940 (before training as a bomber pilot), he was assigned to look after commanding officer Sqn Ldr Peter Townsend’s personal aircraft – something of which Paul is justly proud.
A definitive feature of the Hurricane Mk.I was its two-bladed wooden Watts propeller – for which the necessary hub, shown here, has already been refurbished.
Fury progress
Sitting alongside the Hurricane in the workshop is Fury Mk.I K1928. Like its Hawker stablemate, it is a composite build involving various airframes, including parts from K1928, an ex-43 Squadron machine. Once completed, Paul plans to finish the Fury in 43’s colours as a salute to the ‘The Fighting Cocks’, with whom Peter Townsend also served from early 1937.
Paul comments: “While at first glance it appears not a lot of progress has happened since 2012, a great deal of work has been done to the wing structures in preparation for fitting them. The left-hand lower spar is in place and the right is almost ready to be attached. Work will now turn to using the material we have to make the centre section.”
The Hawker Fury’s original propeller hub will be used in the project.
The Hurricane’s fuselage inspection panels (bottom) ready for painting, while work continues to complete the ailerons.
While detailing the Fury’s progression, Paul mentions he has a RollsRoyce Kestrel engine for the aircraft: “It is at my other workshop, but before I can bring it to Little Gransden I’ve got to lower and remove the engine frame and fit the firewall. We can then drop in the reserve fuel tank – that’s awaiting rubbing down and finishing. I’ve started on the cowlings – it’s just a matter of rolling the remaining ones and also fitting them.”
With the cockpit coming along, the team has been working on the instrument panel and has fitted the seat. Although its currently over in the other ’shop, the tail section is three-quarters complete and once fitted Paul will turn his attention to covering the aeroplane. He continues: “My aim is to get the Fury to the same stage as the Hurricane, so we complete them within a few months of each other. There are obvious advantages to fitting similar items and applying fabric to both aircraft while the experts are on site around the same time. The Fury will follow the Hurricane to Brooklands where they will make a fine sight – both types were produced and flew there for the first time.”
The one-piece tailplane and elevators were created almost entirely from original, sourced material. Seen here awaiting fabric, the high standard of workmanship is evident.
Hawker Fury K1928 leads a trio of 43 Squadron aircraft. Delivered to the unit in April 1931, it ended its days as a ground instructional airframe. KEY COLLECTION