- Hardcover: 192 pages
- Publisher: Grub Street; First Edition edition (30 May 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1904943071
- ISBN-13: 978-1904943075
- Product Dimensions: 24.4 x 17.6 x 2.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
242,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #13 in Books > History > World History > World War II 1939-1945 > Weapons > Hurricane
- #40 in Books > History > Military History > World War II > Battle of Britain
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
One of Peter Vacher's great passions in life is restoring Rolls-Royce motor cars. In March 1982 he was travelling in India on research when quite by chance in the grounds of a northern university he stumbled on the rusting remnants of an aircraft. It was a British plane, but unrecognisable. Peter was intrigued. Initially thinking it was a Spitfire, he managed to get the serial number from which he obtained confirmation that it was in fact a Mark I Hurricane, R4118, which had flown in the Battle of Britain! For years he did nothing but the fantastic idea of bringing it back to England and seeing it fly again stayed at the back of his mind. In 1996 he decided to act and made an offer to buy the remains. In 1997 the offer was accepted. There then followed six years of wrangling, committees, red tape, Indian Air Force involvement, and much patient lobbying before in 2002 Peter was given 24 hours to remove the plane. Then the truly difficult process began of restoration - a worldwide search for parts, careful reconstruction, flight testing, and finally, finally airborne again. Along the way he re-united three auspicious veterans - Peter Thompson, Bunny Currant and Bob Foster - with R4118, men who had flown her during the war. This is truly an amazing story, a dream come true, documented in words and pictures as it happened. History Channel involvement. Video, film under negotiation; TV coverage of R4118 in flight guaranteed; Massive newspaper, magazine coverage guaranteed
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A superb book and I for one are very grateful to Peter Vacher for writing this up and more importantly for doing the restoration. Peter Thompson flew this aircraft, he was my father in law, so it is particularly poignant. That aside, it is compelling reading, very amsuing but also a very good documentary of what was done.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Realy respect what this gentelman has done, to restore and get in the air a MK 1 Huricane is a remarkable feat, and must have been done at huge expense. Caps off!
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Having been personally involved in the restoration to airworthiness of a Hurricane I was looking forward to read this account - it brought back many memories of corroded fuselage tubes, fiddly brackets and the like. The book itself is good quality, hardback, well set out and with decent pictures. Really liked the research the author did on the history of the plane and its pilots, even to the extent of finding out the different repair organisations that repaired different parts of the plane, something that you don't get much insight into normally. The book is well worth having if you are a Hurricane buff, or like old warbirds, but the reason this doesn't get 5 stars from me is after 73 plus pages of the story of recovering the plane and its travels, there are only 44 pages on the restoration and return to flight which feels a touch light and leaves you wishing for a few more details (and definitely wishing for a few more pictures of different details of the plane). Still recommended for the bookshelf.
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