FUSELAGE CREATIONS HAWKER HURRICANE 2C

Description

The Hawker Hurricane is an iconic British single-seat fighter aircraft that gained its legendary status during The Battle of Britain. While popular memory often attributes the victory to the Supermarine Spitfire, neither aircraft can be declared “the best”. Instead, their complementary strengths won the skies together – with the Hurricane accounting for 60% of all enemy aircraft downed during the campaign. Notably, Luftwaffe pilots discovered that Hurricane lacked an inverted fuel system, forcing British to fly inverted and subsequently loose power, which resulted in lost aircraft and lives of brave man protecting their country. 

Built on 1930s technology using a steel-and-wood frame covered in fabric, the Hurricane had a unique advantage: enemy rounds often passed straight through without detonating. It was also cheaper and faster to manufacture, as well as easier to pilot and repair in field. Between 1937 and 1944, over 14,000 Hurricanes across 24 variants were built in the UK and Canada.

The tag in your possession is crafted from a Hawker Hurricane Mk2C built in the UK and delivered to the Soviet Air Force in March 1942. Serving with the 2nd Fighter Regiment on the Eastern Front, it was part of the first Allied Lend-Lease aircraft shipment to the USSR, which eventually totalled 2,952 aircraft delivered. Historical records indicate this aircraft was shot down in October 1942, crashing into a swamp in the Karelia Region along  the Russian-Finnish border.

Following the fall of the Iron Curtain, British brothers Daniel and Kevin Hunt organised an expedition to recover the wreckage from the swamp, successfully transporting it back to the UK in 2003

Today, the engine, centre section, wings, and tail section, showing extensive battle damage and field repairs, are on display at the Wings WWII Remembrance Museum in Balcombe, West Sussex. Over time, some parts of the airframe entered private collections and restoration circles. The Fuselage Creations team acquired the original skin material from a UK-based restoration specialist in the autumn of 2026 to create this piece of aviation history.