1939 Hawker Hurricane Mk 1, P2902 served with 245 Fighter Squadron initially on the east coast of Scotland patrolling local shipping routes but was soon ordered south to provide air cover for the little ships and naval craft involved in operation Dynamo… the evacuation of Allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk. On the 31st May 1940 19-year-old Pilot Officer Kenneth McGlashan was attacked by two bf109s sustaining major damage to the airframe, believing that a Hurricane could out dive a bf109 the by now seriously injured McGlashan put in the aircraft into a steep dive outrunning his attacker, pulling up just 10 feet above the beach. McGlashan then managed to land the stricken plane on the beach and walked away to join the troops awaiting evacuation. P2902 eventually was swallowed by the sand were it would remain until being exhumed in 1988. It would then be a further 29 years before P2902 took to the air again following a painstaking restoration by Hawker Restorations.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Those who visited the Heveningham Hall Country show on June 28-29 and purchased the additional ticket to view the Concours cars on the terraced lawn were also entitled to view the entrants for the Hanna Aviation Trophy, a concours for aeroplanes, which is run alongside the main event. It was but a short walk up the hill to a little copse of trees, around which were displayed a mouth-watering display of vintage aircraft. The Hanna Aviation Trophy is named in honour of the late Ray and Mark Hanna, Two of the greatest Warbird display pilots to grace the skies and the silver screen. [Read more…] about Heveningham Hanna Aviation Trophy