The Kings Cup Air Race

Profile 01: Hawker Hurricane MkI No99 The Kings Cup Air Race Hurricane (This was the last Hawker Hurricane ever built in the air racing colours of Princess Margaret for the Kings Cup Air Race)

Named The Last of the Many serial number PZ865 first flew at Langley, Buckinghamshire on 22 July 1944 and was retained by Hawker Aircraft for trials work.

The Hurricane in 1954 when owned by Hawker Aircraft and painted in their dark blue colours

It moved in 1950 to the Hawker factory at Dunsfold Aerodrome where it was given the civil registration G-AMAU on 1 May 1950.[2] It was flown into second place at the 1950 King's Cup Air Race by Group Captain Peter Townsend.[1] At this time it was painted in Hawker Aircraft's dark blue colour scheme with gold lettering and lining. The aircraft also appeared in the Battle of Britain film in 1968.

In 1972 the aircraft was refurbished and presented by Hawkers to the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight then based at RAF Coltishall, reverting to its RAF serial as identity.

Formerly painted as code JX-E to represent "Night Reaper" flown by 1 Squadron fighter ace Flt Lt Karel Kuttelwascher DFC during night intruder operations from RAF Tangmere, In 2010 the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight began a rebuild of Hawker Hurricane PZ865 which will now wear a new colour scheme, faithfully replicating Hurricane Mk IIC HW840, coded 'EG-S', of 34 Squadron, South East Asia Command during 1944, the personal aircraft of Canadian pilot, Flight Lieutenant Jimmy Whalen DFC.

The last Hurricane ever built (of 14,533), PZ865 rolled off the Hawker production line at Langley, Bucks, in July 1944 with the inscription 'The Last of the Many' on her port and starboard sides. Keen to preserve the last Hurricane ever built, Hawkers purchased the aircraft back from the Air Ministry and kept it in storage at Langley. In 1950, PZ865 was entered in the King's Cup Air Race by HRH Princess Margaret. Flown by Group Captain Peter Townsend CVO DSO DFC* it achieved second place. Over the next three years 'PZ' participated in several other air races and was modified for racing with the removal of its cannons and the installation of two 'overload' wing fuel tanks. During the 1960s, 'PZ' was returned to its wartime camouflage scheme and made numerous display appearances, often in the hands of the famous fighter pilot and test pilot Bill Bedford OBE AFC. It also appeared in the film 'Battle of Britain'. In March 1972, after a complete overhaul, PZ865 was flown to Coltishall and presented by Hawker Siddeley to the BBMF. 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. In 1996, replica 20mm cannons, funded by the Lincolnshire's Lancaster Association, were fitted to 'PZ' to restore the aircraft's appearance to that of a Mk IIC Hurricane.

In November 2010, PZ865 was sent to Duxford for major maintenance and refurbishment. From 2012 this famous Hurricane will wear a new colour scheme, faithfully replicating Hurricane Mk IIC HW840, coded 'EG-S', of 34 Squadron, South East Asia Command during 1944, the personal aircraft of Canadian pilot, Flight Lieutenant Jimmy Whalen DFC. Sadly, Jimmy lost his life on 18 April 1944, 5 days before his 24th birthday, during the Battle for Kohima. He had carried out 176 sorties against the enemy, 107 being over enemy territory and 23 at night. He had to his credit 3 ME-109s destroyed and 1 damaged whilst flying from England and 3 Japanese Navy Val Type 99s destroyed over Ceylon