Another hurricane airborne

Air Classics, Apr 2000

Hawker Hurricane Mk. 1 P3351/ZKTPL made its first post-restoration flight on 12 January. Keith Skilling took the aircraft aloft from Christchurch Airport in New Zealand for a total of four test flights on the same day. This particular aircraft severed with the Royal Air Force's No, 73 Squadron during the Battle of France and is now painted in the colors it wore during that time period.

Escaping destruction in France, the Hurricane made it back the Britain but was damaged in a July 1940 crash, The plane was rebuilt as a Mk. IIA and sent to the Soviet Union in May 1941. The aircraft was shot down some time during 1943 near Murmansk. It was recovered by a British collector during 1992 and sold to the Alpine Fighter Collection. The major rebuild was carried out by Hawker Restorations in Britain before the Hurricane was shipped to New Zealand for fitting out interior items and systems.