Z5140 - Hawker Hurricane Mk XIIa, ©Nigel Key
PZ865 |
LF363 |
Z7015 |
Z5140 |
R4118 |
BE505
Hawker Hurricane Mk XIIa '5711' was built by the Canadian Car Foundry company in 1942 joining the RCAF in 1943 serving with 123 Squadron at Debert. '5711' then went to 127 and 129 Squadrons at Dartmouth and then to a Training unit situated at Bagotville.
In 1947 '5711' was decommissioned from the RCAF and purchased by a syndicate from Saskatchewan bearing civilian code 'G-HURI'. It was restored in 1985 by Paul Mercer and made it first flight in 1989. The Hurricane was purchased by the Historic Aircraft Collection during 2002 where it is based at Duxford.
In 2004, after having extensive maintenance and repairs carried out, Hurricane Mk XIIa was repainted bearing the colour scheme of a Hurricane Mk IIb from 126 squadron which served during the siege of Malta with the serial number 'Z5140' and code letters 'HA-C'.
Hurricane 'Z5140' landed in Malta on the 6th June 1941, having flown from HMS Ark Royal. Although aircraft should have been painted in the Tropical colour scheme, due to the desperate times in Malta squadrons received aircraft in various liveries and 'Z5140' was left with its 'Battle of Britain' Brown and Green camouflage colour scheme.
In 2005,Hurricane 'Z5140' code letters 'HA-C' returned to Malta, and was the first to do so since WWII, flying there with a Spitfire 'BM597' as part of the 'Merlins over Malta' project.
For the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, in 2015, G-HURI was painted in the RAF markings of P3700 a Hurricane Mk1, coded RF-E of No 303 Squadron.
P3700 was abandoned by Sgt Kazimierz Wunsche over Poynings, Kent on 9th September 1940 after sustaining damage from a Bf 109 during combat over Beachy Head.
Close-up of gun ports covered in red tape
(Note, group of four and two per wing).
Hurricane XII 'Z5140' is kept in Hangar 3 at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford.
| SPECIFICATION (Mk XIIa) |
| Length - 32ft 2in (9.81m) |
| Wingspan - 40ft 0in (12.19m) |
| Height - 13ft 0in (3.98m) |
| Engine - Packard Merlin 29 |
| Power - 1,460 Hp |
| Max. Speed - 322mph (518km/h) |
| Range - 900mile (1,448km) |
| ARMAMENT |
| Machine Guns - 12 x 0.303" Browning |
PZ865 |
LF363 |
Z7015 |
Z5140 |
R4118 |
BE505
Z5140 
