| The last Hurricane ever built (of 14,533), PZ865 rolled off the production line at Langley, Buckinghamshire, in the summer of 1944 with the inscription ‘The Last of the Many’ on her port and starboard sides. The aircraft was almost immediately purchased back from the Air Ministry by Hawkers and initially mothballed, before being employed as a company communications and test aircraft. In 1950, wearing the civilian registration G-AMAU, it was entered in the Kings Cup Air Race by HRH Princess Margaret. Flown by Group Captain Peter Townsend it achieved second place. During the 1960s, PZ865 was returned to its wartime camouflage scheme and was used as a company ‘hack’ and communications aircraft. It appeared in ‘The Battle of Britain’ film and also made numerous display appearances, often in the hands of the famous fighter pilot and test pilot Bill Bedford. After a complete overhaul, PZ865 was flown to Coltishall in March 1972 and given to the Memorial Flight by Hawker Siddeley. For many years the aircraft appeared as ‘The Last of the Many’ but eventually the inscription was removed and put on display in the BBMF headquarters. This model comes complete with limited edition certificate and 6 page story booklet detailing the plane and pilot with authentic Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Images. |
