Besides modern airplanes, a unique, historical plane will take part in NATO Days in Ostrava and Czech Air Force Days – the last flying Hurricane from the Battle of Britain – Hawker Hurricane Mk I R4118. Organizers of the show intend to pay for participation of this plane by means of a public gathering.

This plane is really unique in the whole world and this is supported by its difficult history. Its service in 605 Squadron started on August 17, 1940, just when skies over Britain were witnessing the largest air battle in the history of wars. R4118 flew 49 sorties during the Battle of Britain and its pilots were able to shoot down five enemy aircrafts.

After being damaged in battle and after further service following necessary repairing, the plane ended up in India. There it was exposed to the weather and regular monsoon rains for more than 50 years, before it was brought back to the Great Britain in 2001. Then it underwent three years long reconstructions, in which it was brought back to the flying condition. Its marking is identical to the one it had 70 years earlier. The plane even has an original 1,030hp strong Merlin III engine or eight .303 Browning machine guns.

Hawker Hurricane is a single-seat fighter aircraft from the 1930s, which played an important role in the British Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Hurricanes, together with Supermarine Spitfire planes, represented a backbone of the British air force, which was not defeated in the Battle of Britain in 1940 by the Hitler’s Germany and therefore averted a ground invasion of the Great Britain and de facto prevented a capture of the whole Europe by Nazis.

There were more than 14,000 Hurricanes produced and they were used as interceptor-fighters, fighter-bombers and even in naval version on aircraft carriers. Hurricanes were very popular because of their endurance. It is believed that Hurricane pilots took the greatest share in shoot-downs of German planes.

Hurricanes are also connected with Czechoslovak pilots who served in 310 and 312 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and who were fighting and dying in these planes during the Second World War. Besides that, the Czech fighter ace Josef František used to fly a Hurricane within 303 Polish Fighter Squadron. With 17 confirmed shoot-downs, he was the most successful Allied fighter in the Battle of Britain.  

"NATO Days in Ostrava and Czech Air Force Days are the last show, where is Hurricane R4118 going to take part this year. At the same time, it is the only show outside the British Isles of this aircraft," says Zbyněk Pavlačík from the Jagello 2000 Association, which is the main organizer of the show at Mošnov Airfield. Pavlačík says that there is a great symbolism, especially in context of history of the last flying Hurricane that took part in a fight against Nazism 70 years ago and contributed to the Allied victory in the Second World War. For the first time the organizers of the show have agreed to pay for participation of an aircraft. “This unique legend is a part of a private collection, it is operated on a commercial basis and even though its owner was most accommodating, R4118’s participation is still quite costly. Nevertheless, it is such a remarkable offer that we couldn’t refuse it, particularly in connection with this year’s anniversary and historical context,” adds Pavlačík. Organizers of the show have decided for a rare step. "We are preparing a unique collector’s print for interested people. By the purchase of the print, collectors will also get further privileges," closes Pavlačík.

EXCLUSIVELY: Support the participation of the legendary Hurricane Mk I, buy a unique print and get a batch of privileges! (natodays.cz)

Written by: Pavel Doško 

See you at the 10^th NATO Days in Ostrava,
1^st Czech Air Force Days,
and AirIn Fair 2010!