The aircraft ended up back in Scotland
initially with 18 MU (Dumfries) and then to 111
Sqn training ight at Dyce in January 1941.
Having moved to 59 Operational Training Unit
(OTU) at Crosby-on-Eden in Cumbria during
April 1941, R4118 continued in a training role
until October 7, when the aircraft hit a lorry
when landing.
The damage was signi cant and the
ghter was sent to Taylorcraft at Rearsby,
Leicestershire, for repairs. Once restored, the
aircraft headed back to Scotland with 44 MU
based at Edzell, Angus, in December 1942.
Life in Scotland continued as the aircraft was
allocated to 56 OTU at Tealing near Dundee,
where the ghter was used for gunnery
training. Following some work at David
Rose eld Ltd at Barton, near Manchester in
1943, R4118 arrived at 5 MU, Kemble in the
Cotswolds in June that same year.
It became one of 203 Hurricanes prepared
for a new life with Air Command, South East
Asia (ACSEA). Shipped to India in February
1944, the ghters were employed as trainers
for Indian pilots. However, R4118, an old Mk
I airframe, was left in its crate and eventually
struck off charge in January 1947.
Sometime after that, the Hurricane moved
to the Banaras Hindu University where it was
intended for use as an instructional aid. The
ghter was removed from its crate and placed
outdoors with its wings alongside, where it sat
for the next 40-odd years.BACK TO BRITAIN
In 1982, Peter Vacher, who has a passion
for restoring Rolls-Royce cars, was travelling
in India and noted an aircraft stored at the
university, which he initially mistakenly
identi ed as a Spit re. He took a photograph
and, 11 years later, showed it to his wife’s
ying instructor, who correctly identi ed the
aircraft.
Peter was fascinated by the prospect of
discovering more about this Hurricane. The
more he researched, the more interested hebecame and, in July 2001, negotiated to
buy the ghter and return it to the UK.
The initial restoration was carried
out at Peter’s home workshop near
Oxford, with parts produced by
Hawker Restorations, then based
at Milden in Suffolk. The fuselage
was eventually sent to Milden
for restoration to be completed,
while Bob Cunningham in
Bournemouth worked on the
wings. The aircraft’s original
Merlin III engine was still in place
when it was recovered from India, and
this was dispatched for rebuild to Maurice
Hammond, a Suffolk-based warbird restorer,
who is best known for his work on Merlins.
The various components were reunited
at Hawker Restorations and the completedaircraft was eventually taken
to what is now Cambridge
International Airport by road,
where it ew once again in
December 23, 2004.
After 11 years of ownership, Peter
Vacher decided it was time to let R4118
move on and he was delighted that
a UK-based buyer stepped forward. In
September 2015, James Brown became
the new owner of R4118 and the aircraft was
moved to Old Warden the following month.CHALLENGES
With such an historic aircraft in his ownership,
James set about preparing himself to not
only secure the aircraft’s future, but also
realise his ambition to y the Hurricane. He
said: “Looking back on those early days44 Aviation News incorporating Jets February 2018Hurricane R4118 ew 49 sorties during
the Battle of Britain and damaged or
destroyed ve enemy aircraft.42-46_hurricaneDC.mf.indd 44 05/01/2018 14:13