BONHAMS TO SELL EXAMPLE OF AEROPLANE MADE FAMOUS AS THE HERO OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN 11.30am, THURSDAY 18 OCTOBER 2012 IWM DUXFORD, CAMBRIDGESHIRE CB22 4QR
A Hurricane fighter aircraft like one of the many that defended British shores during World War II’s Battle of Britain will be the star attraction at the Bonhams sale of Collectors’ Motor Cars and Automobilia at Mercedes-Benz World Brooklands – the spiritual home of the Hurricane – in Weybridge, Surrey, UK, on Monday 3rd December.
The Hurricane, the Royal Air Force’s first monoplane fighter, had its finest hour during that battle, where it shot down more enemy aircraft than its famous service partner the Spitfire.
Brooklands, where the Bonhams sale will take place, has its own history with the aircraft: it was assembled and first flown in prototype form there in 1935, and altogether more than 3,000 Hurricanes were produced on site – one fifth of the total built.
Hurricane Mk XIIa 5711 (G-HURI), equipped with 12 Browning .303 machine guns, was built in 1942 and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force the following year, remaining in Canada for the duration of the war. Its service history has proved elusive, but it may have protected convoys on the east coast shore line from German U-boat activity, or been used as a training aircraft.
Struck off charge from the RCAF in 1947, it was bought by a Canadian syndicate. It was later restored to flight, making its first post-restoration flight in 1989, before being acquired by the Historic Aircraft Collection in 2002 and housed at the IWM Duxford in Cambridgeshire.
Following extensive programme of refinements including the fitting of the correct Merlin engine, G-HURI now flies as ‘Z5140’, with the code letters HA-C and in the Battle of Britain colours worn by a Hurricane IIB flown with 126 Squadron during the siege of Malta. During the Collection’s ownership it became the first Hurricane to return to Malta since World War II, and this summer was the first to fly to Russia since that time, where it flew in the presence of Russian president Vladimir Putin at the Moscow Airshow.
At 32ft long and 13ft high, with a wingspan of 40ft, this half-ton aircraft is capable of a range of 900 miles and a maximum speed of 322mph. It is offered for sale with an estimate of £1.4 million - £1.7 million.
Tim Schofield, Director of the Bonhams UK Motor Car Department, said: “This Hurricane is one of only a handful of these iconic aircraft still flying today, and is presented for sale in highly original condition.
“We expect it will be a lot that will generate much interest among buyers at our December sale, and will complement the important motor cars we already have consigned for the sale.”
The Hurricane joins a number of important motor cars consigned for the December sale, including:
1931 Invicta 4.5-litre S-Type Low Chassis Tourer (estimate £500,000 - £600,000)
1938 Jaguar SS100 3.5-litre Sports Two-Seater (£220,000 - £280,000)
1935 Ford Box Van used as Lance Cpl Jones’s butcher’s van in classic television seriesDad’s Army (estimate £20,000 - £30,000)
The aircraft is scheduled to fly at around 11.30am, depending on weather and serviceability.
Bonhams
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to www.bonhams.com. Prior to sale there are several days of viewing which collectors and the general public are welcome to attend.
