A Very Special Aircraft Arrives at Duxford
Recently, Historic Aircraft Collection (HAC) brought a very special historic aircraft to Duxford for reassembly and display.Hawker Fury Mk.I K 5674 serial number 41H/67550 is the only Hawker Fury in existence and has been faithfully restored to flying condition.
The remains of this rare aircraft were discovered on a farm in South Africa and acquired by Historic Aircraft Collection following information received from staff at the RAF Museum.
After an 18-year restoration, the Hawker Fury was recently reassembled at Imperial War Museum Duxford, where visitors could see the talented team of HAC engineers painstakingly assemble this spectacular aircraft.
The Fury is now presented in the scheme it was flown in when it was last operational, as part of the famous ‘Fighting Cocks’, 43 Squadron, RAF Tangmere. It was then the personal aircraft of Flying Officer Rosier, Officer Commanding ‘B’ Flight, later to become Air Chief Marshall Sir Frederick Rosier GCB CBE DSO.
Flying Officer Rosier first flew the Fury during December 1936 but had to relinquish the aircraft in February 1939. It was eventually sent to South Africa in 1940. Taken on charge by 13 Squadron, based at Swartkop, it was damaged in a forced landing and was subsequently struck off charge in March 1941.
The restoration of this beautiful pre-war fighter aircraft was undertaken by Retrotec Limited, who also rebuilt the extremely rare Rolls Royce Kestrel IIS engine.
The restored and reassembled Hawker Fury can currently be seen in all its gleaming glory in the Hangar 3: Air and Sea exhibition at Imperial War Museum Duxford.
