November was an unofficial Hurricane month on Warbird Tails, with a number of posts featuring the Hawker fighter as a central theme. The 2017 airshow season will certainly be remembered as a “Hurricane Summer” too.

With the return to the air and arrival at Old Warden of P3717 in May we were able to be treated to the unique sight of three Hawker Hurricanes lining up on the Old Warden grass for a fabulous three ship debut at the June evening display. This was followed up with an equally spectacular routine at the July Military Pageant. Both events closed with a graceful extended solo display from Stu Goldspink in P3717.

As if three Hurricanes wasn’t enough we were soon marvelling at a five ship at Flying Legends with the airshow debut of P2902 from Anglia Aircraft Restorations. This represented one of the largest public airshow gatherings of the type since the Second World War.

The final shining moment of an incredible Hurricane year was the six ship spectacular put together by the Imperial War Museum in September. This display would have reached numbers as high as eight aircraft had it not been for unfortunate technical problems with Old Warden based R4118 and had the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Hurricane been able to join in.

After years of watching Spitfire numbers gradually increase it is really positive to see a Hurricane resurgence throughout 2017, long may it continue.