At Ottawa-Gatineau Executive Airport, Ontario, a team at Vintage Wings of Canada has completed the rebuild of Hawker Hurricane Ⅻ RCAF 5447/ CF-TPM to flying condition, 15 years after work began. It has been painted in the markings of a No 242 Squadron machine flown by Fg Off William Lidstone 'Willie' McKnight, Canada's most outstanding fighter pilot of the first 18 months of the war. Commanded by the then Sqn Ldr Douglas Bader, the otherwise all-Canadian-manned unit was based at RAF Coltishall and Martlesham Heath during December 1940 and January 1941. The markings now on CF-TPM represent Hurricane I P2961/LE-A, flown by McKnight during that period.Edmonton-born William McKnight DFC and Bar was shot down during a fighter sweep over Calais on 12 January 1942 at the age of 22, having scored a total of 17 confirmed victories. The Vintage Wings of Canada restoration is due to fly during the early spring, with the collection's chief pilot Dave Hadfield (see the February 2022 issue) at the controls.
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