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Hawker Hurricane Mk.I • Little Gransden Air & Car Show

The history of the Hawker Hurricane Mk. I, serial V7497, is deeply, though briefly, rooted in the pivotal battles of the Second World War. Manufactured by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. in August 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain, this fighter was a vital component of Britain's defence. It was swiftly delivered to the Royal Air Force's No. 20 Maintenance Unit for service preparation before being issued to No. 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron at RAF Kenley on September 19th, 1940. This squadron, part of the Auxiliary Air Force, was composed of dedicated volunteer pilots who had already seen relentless combat. V7497's operational career was intense but fleeting. Its first sortie occurred on September 24th, 1940, and over the next four days, it flew only seven operational sorties in the intense skies over Southern England. On September 28th, 1940, while flying with Pilot Officer Everett Bryan Rogers, V7497 engaged a large formation of German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. During the fierce dogfight over Kent, the Hurricane was shot down and crashed at Chartway Street, East Sutton. Pilot Officer Rogers successfully parachuted to safety, but the aircraft was destroyed. Decades later, during an aviation archaeology dig in the 1990s, significant remains of the Hurricane were recovered, including its original identity plates. These parts were acquired by Hawker Restorations, specialists in the type, who undertook a meticulous and comprehensive rebuild. This restoration, incorporating as much of the original material as possible, aimed to return the aircraft to fully airworthy condition. The completed Hurricane, registered for flight as G-HRLI, took to the skies once again in August 2018, a magnificent resurrection of a Battle of Britain veteran. Today, V7497 is proudly displayed and flown in its original 501 Squadron markings, serving as a dynamic and tangible memorial to the pilots who defended Britain during that critical summer of 1940. ✈️ Hawker Hurricane Mk.I • V7497 // G-HRLI (SD-X) 📌 Little Gransden - Air and Car Show 📅 24th August, 2025 ▶▶ SUBSCRIBE!! youtube.com/biggsy ◀◀ youtube.com/biggsy?sub_confirmation=1 ▶︎ Social Links! https://www.tiktok.com/@biggsytv https://www.facebook.com/biggsytv https://www.instagram.com/biggsytv https://twitter.com/biggsytv https://www.twitch.tv/biggsy ▶︎ Email : [email protected] Thanks for watching!!