108 FLYPAST May 2018
FROM THE WORKSHOP HAWKER TYPHOON
“Because RB396 will be owned and
operated by a charity, it can never
be sold into a private collection and
will be in the public eye as much as
possible”taken on strength by 174
‘Mauritius’ Squadron on or
around January 4, 1945.
It was mostly flown by
Canadian P/O Frank Johnson
who named it Sheila after his
wife. Flt Lt Chris House was
at the controls on April 1, the
day of its final flight, Frank
having baled out of Typhoon
SW495 two days before. Chris
force-landed near Denekamp
in the Netherlands after his
mount was damaged by flak. Hesuccessfully evaded capture and
returned to his unit two days later.
Post-war, the substantial remains
of the aircraft were retained by
a chemical company, potentially
for destructive industrial use,
but eventually they ended up on
display at museums in Twente and
later Fort Veldhuis.
Following restoration, RB396
won’t just be the world’s only
flying Typhoon,
it will be the
only genuineThis cutaway engine block was donated to
the project by the Belgian Aviation History
Association Archaeology Team.Front windscreen.Warbird RB396To help raise funds for the restoration of RB396, award-winning aviation
artist Neil Hipkiss GAvA has produced a stunning painting depicting ‘RB’
as she would have appeared during her wartime service (see page 106).
The details were researched with the assistance of the HTPG, plus Typhoon
expert Chris Thomas and 174 Squadron veteran Frank Johnson, the aircraft’s
wartime pilot. Warbird RB396 illustrates the fi ghter during one of its many
hazardous low-level operations, supporting Allied movements in the
Battle of Normandy. Limited edition fi ne art prints of the painting will be
available to purchase direct from HTPG with all proceeds helping to fund the
restoration project. These comprise 396 prints (size 25 x 19in / 64 x 48cm)
priced at £95 each and 25 stretched canvas prints (size 36 x 24in) at £350
each. For further details visit http://www.hawkertyphoon.com