Flying Hawker Hurricane in Finnish Air Force WWII markings starring Finland’s annual main airshow 2014 in Oulu (Uleåborg).
The annual main airshow of Finland, Tour de Sky, will be in City of Oulu (Uleåborg) August 9-10, 2014. The main warbird star of the airshow is flying Hawker Hurricane, painted in Finnish WWII colour scheme.
Finnish Air Force operated 13 Hawker Hurricanes, 12 Hurricane MK.I and one captured Soviet Hurricane MK.II. During winter war against Soviet Union Finnish Government started urgent search for more modern combat aircraft to replace Finnish Air Force Fokker D.XXI fleet. In March 1940 12 Hurricane MK.Is were flown to Finland, straight out of RAF stocks. Two crashed on ferry flight and never reached Finland. Ten remaining Hurricanes flew against Soviet Union in Continuation War and claimed 5,5 air victories before they were stored due spare part shortage in summer 1943.
In February 1942, Soviet Hurricane, ex-RAF Z2585 crashlanded on the ice of Lake Tuoppajärvi on Finnish side due combat damage. Finnish Air Force depot recovered the aircraft and delivered it to Finnish Aircraft Factory for rebuild. Parts from two other Soviet Hurricanes were used to rebuild Z2585 to Finnish Air Force. It became HC-465 and was delivered to Finnish Air Force as late as April 27, 1944. It was used briefly on target towing and other non combat duties. HC-465 flew last time May 31, 1944 and was stored and later scrapped. This was the last Hurricane flight on Finnish soil.
Z2585 was Hurricane MK.II serving 316 Sqdn and was sent to Soviet Union December 6th, 1941 were it flew as “42” until crashlanding to Finnish side.
Tour de Sky – Oulu International Airshow will have HC-465 returning to Finnish skies after 70 years!
Phil Lawtons Hurricane will be painted as HC-465, the last Finnish Hurricane, and flown to Finland and Oulu. His Hurricane is a Canadian built Mk XIIb ( the Canadians referred to them as Mk 12's whereas in the UK they were designated as Mk IIb ), serial number R30040 ,Royal Canadian Airforce number 5487. It was built by the Canadian Car and Foundry company in mid 1941 ,issued to 127 Squadron for coastal defence .It crashed in November 1942 and the remains were recovered in shipped to the UK in 1990. Its currently fitted with a Rolls Royce Merlin 24/500 V12 27 litre 1650 HP engine ,cruise fuel burn is approx 200 litres per hour ,display fuel burn 450 litres per hour. The plane is currently at Phoenix Aero Services in Hampshire UK, but will be flown, after the restoration and paint work is complete, to Finland.
http://www.tourdesky.fi
Two photos: Finnish Hurricane MK 1 during WWII and crash landed Soviet Hurricane which became HC-465 to Finnish AF.
- tHurricane II "42" -> HC-465 Finska Flygvapnet
- Hurricane MK I Finska Flygvapne