Corgi 1/72 RAF Royal Air Force Hawker Hurricane Mk1 P2978 LK-A (AA27608)

Description

Up for sale is a brand new 1/72 RAF Royal Air Force Hawker Hurricane Mk1 P2978 LK-A (AA27608) by Corgi.

Having proved instrumental in defeating the Luftwaffe by day during the summer of 1940, the Hawker Hurricane was also called upon to challenge them by night as they moved to a nocturnal bombing campaign following their defeat in the Battle of Britain. Having already gained his pilot’s licence as a civilian, Ian Richard Gleed successfully applied for an RAF commission in 1936 and on completion of his training, was posted to No.46 Squadron at Kenley, to fly Gloster Gauntlet fighters. Eventually Gleed was posted to No.87 Squadron, who were flying Hawker Hurricane fighters and quickly sent to France as part of the Royal Air Force component of the British Expeditionary Force. He would immediately make his mark on the fighting, not only showing great courage in the face of the enemy, but also taking a heavy toll of Luftwaffe aircraft in the process. It is thought that Flt. Lt. Gleed achieved Ace status quicker than any other RAF pilot in WWII, taking just two days to dispatch 2 Bf 110s, a Bf 109 and two Do17 bombers, with several other aircraft either shared or claimed as probables during the same period. Despite this, the inexorable advance of the Germans could not be stopped and the Hurricanes of No.87 Squadron would soon be forced to return to England. Once back in Britain, No.87 Squadron were initially stationed at Church Fenton in Yorkshire, but soon made the move south to Exeter. Unusually, the Squadron refused the opportunity to trade their Hurricanes for new Spitfires, as it was reported that Gleed and fellow pilot Roland Beamont were easily able to out-manoeuvre Spitfires during mock dogfight trials. Seeing service throughout the Battle of Britain, once the Luftwaffe raids moved to night bombing attacks, No.87 Squadron were given the task of providing night fighter protection for Bristol and whilst this force was still very much in its infancy, Gleed was able to add a further two Luftwaffe aircraft to his growing victory tally. Perhaps one of the most famous Hurricanes of the entire Battle of Britain period, Ian Gleed’s Hurricane P2798 was the subject of several famous wartime photographs, ones which show the aircraft in several different presentations. Featuring a distinctive red spinner and unusual red painted area on the engine cowling behind the spinner, the aircraft also sports unique Figaro the Cat artwork on the starboard side of the fuselage, under the cockpit he appears to be enthusiastically destroying a swastika. Once transferred to night operations, the standard day camouflage of this aircraft was almost completely overpainted in black, except for the rudder and Gleed’s personal markings, which retained the camouflage sections on which they were originally painted, including the area under Figaro the cat.

This model air-plane is made from die-cast metal and plastic and include extensive detailing. It is similar in quality to Century Wings, Calibre Wings and Forces of Valor.

Includes display stand.

Additional information