For immediate release
29th November 2012
Film Footage Depicts Historic Aeroplane Up For Sale At Bonhams
Video clip shows Hawker Hurricane like one of many that defended British shores during World War II’s ‘Battle of
Britain’
For the first time, Bonhams can offer video footage of the 1942 Hawker Hurricane set to go under the hammer at its
pre-Christmas sale at Mercedes-Benz World – the spiritual home of the Hurricane – in Weybridge, Surrey, UK, on Monday
3rd December.
The footage features period clips of the iconic Hurricane – the Royal Air Force’s first monoplane fighter and an
aircraft which shot down more enemy aeroplanes than its famous service partner the Spitfire during the Battle of
Britain. These clips are interspersed with modern footage of the aeroplane Bonhams is to sell - Hurricane Mk XIIa 5711
(G-HURI) – in flight.
Brooklands, where the Bonhams sale will take place, has its own history with the Hurricane: 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 detailed 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 an 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, the Hurricane 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.
NOTES
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.
ENDS