The first section of the rebuild of Hawker Typhoon RB396 is now complete. On 30th October 2024, almost 80 years to the day that the aircraft first rolled off the production line, the final rivets were placed in the rear fuselage bringing to the end a momentous almost decade long endeavour to get the rebuild underway.
The Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group is the charity which owns and safeguards the project, coordinates the rebuild, and works to raise the funds required to facilitate the rebuild, was founded in May 2016 after a number of years of research and planning, and is run entirely by volunteers. The aim is to generate the funds required to rebuild a Hawker Typhoon so that it can fly as a living, breathing, working and flying memorial to all those who played a part in its story, especially the 666 pilots who were killed flying them during WWII.
RB396 was built in November 1944, was test flown by renowned test pilot “Pinkie” Stark, and then delivered a few weeks later by Polish ATA pilot Anna Leska. The aircraft was then collected in early January 1945 by 174 squadron pilots and delivered to the squadron, which, by that time, was advancing steadily through Europe. The aircraft was flown predominantly by Canadian pilot Frank Johnson and is known to have flown at least 35 combat sorties, requiring repairs from flak damage on 18 separate occasions. The War was still a very dangerous time even as it drew to a close. Finally shot down on 1st April 1945, the aircraft was force-landed behind enemy lines near Denekamp in the Netherlands with pilot Chris House at the controls. He escaped, yet RB396 lay where she fell and was recovered for scrap at the end of hostilities. The complete rear fuselage passed from scrap to private collection and museum to museum, and then in 2012 it was returned to the UK and subsequently formed the basis of the HTPG collection and formed the identity of the project and charity
This iconic section of aircraft, still with original 2nd Tactical Air Force paint and crash damage, was chosen to be the first section to be rebuilt, and a funding campaign was set in motion. Three years after the charity was formed, fundraising had reached such a stage to allow the rebuild to commence. In partnership with the Aircraft Restoration Company, Duxford, the rear fuselage was registered with the Civil Aviation Authority as RB396 / G-TIFY and delivered to Airframe Assemblies on the Isle of Wight, in May 2019 for work to commence.
There have been many hurdles along the way – COVID which took over 2020/2021, and as the world came out of that the conflict in the Ukraine dominated affairs and then the “cost of living” crisis took hold. The backdrop for fundraising has not been easy. However, the team kept at it, slowly chipping away at the budget, which, as is common with rebuilds of this nature, has increased since work commenced. Reasons for this have partly been market forces and inflation etc, and also a combination of unforeseen work, and completing extra elements which made sense to complete in line with this section. In all, the section has cost £500,000 – every penny of which the team have raised. The completion of this first section is testament to their hard work over the years.
Before travelling to Airframe Assemblies, the workshop where the rear fuselage had been rebuilt, the group of supporters and guests first stopped at Parkhurst Military Cemetery, where a service of remembrance was held for six young Typhoon pilots lost near the Isle of Wight during WWII. They were all lost in the month of June 1944, 80 years ago. This made the journey to see the rebuild even more special, because it is for the brave pilots, just six of the 666 killed during the conflict, that the project to rebuild this aircraft exists.
The rear fuselage of RB396 has been rebuilt with historical authenticity at the forefront. Approximately 80% of the frame structure (frames and stringers) have been reused in the process. In addition, the eagle-eyed viewers may spot some “discrepancies” in the spacing of the rivets. These sections, where the rivets are spaced closer together, denote the use of an authentic Hawker “battlefield repair” technique, which has been used to facilitate re-use of stringer sections, further increasing the amount of original material from RB396 which was able to be reused.
Another element requiring the greatest of detail was the interior paint shade. It was noticed to be a different colour to that which is normally seen and used on warbirds of the time. A company called Crick Smith offered to support in this area, travelling to the rebuild to take samples and painstakingly match it. It was found not to match any shade available, Indestructible Paints Ltd then mixed and provided it to the rebuild effort. They have stated they wish to support the rest of this rebuild in this manner, and with exterior paint, when the time comes, a very generous offer of support.
After some training by the engineers at Airframe Assemblies, the final rivets were placed in the rear fuselage by a handful of supporters of the project who travelled to the Isle of Wight for the completion ceremony. One of these rivets was placed by Gerry, a 100 year-old RAF ground crew member who looked after and repaired Typhoons in the field during WWII. He said of placing this rivet “just like riding a bike, it soon came back to me. Nobody is shooting at me now though, which is nice!”
The rebuild of this first section of Hawker Typhoon, is just one step in the rebuild of the entire aircraft, but it is a significant one. It is the first major section of Hawker Typhoon to have been built or rebuilt anywhere in the world since WWII. Many obstacles have been overcome on this part of the journey – design modifications due to material changes, missing or partial information, recreation of tooling and techniques used, and, not least, raising the money to fund it all. The Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, have been incredibly accommodating over the course of the rebuild, working with the HTPG team for access to their example, MN235, the only complete airframe in existence, in order to answer a great number of the queries.
Project Director Sam Worthington-Leese, whose own grandfather flew Typhoons during WWII, says: “this has been a long journey, beset with engineering, financial and even wider socio and economic challenges. However, our small all-volunteer team has not given up and the result of almost a decade of work is now here to see. I would like to thank everyone who has worked on, and supported, this effort and helped us get to where we are today. This is just the first step of the rebuild, but it is progress towards the eventual goal. It shows that, no matter what obstacle is put in the way, it can be overcome. We look forward to continuing with the rebuild, and progressing as fast as funds allow. I would, once again, like to thank everyone who has supported the effort so far.”
The Hawker Typhoon played a pivotal role in the lead up to the D-Day landings and the subsequent Battle for Normandy. Some historians suggest that D-Day may have not taken place, been successful if it did, or that the subsequent Battle for Normandy may have been lost, if it was not for the Typhoon. The role of Close Air Support was a perilous one, with 56% of pilots who flew the Typhoon killed during WWII. Their role is largely unsung, and it is for this reason that the HTPG exists, and is going to such trouble to return RB396 to the air and provide them with the memorial they deserve.
The overall build budget for the aircraft is £6-7 million, with the team having raised in excess of £1million already, and work due to start on the next section imminently. With the right support this aircraft could be airworthy in time for the next major D-Day anniversary, the 85th, in 2029. What a tribute that will be.
The HTPG would like to extend special thanks to the following companies for their support of the rebuild of RB396’s rear fuselage on the IoW:
- Crick Smith (paint analyst)
- Indestructible Paints Ltd (interior paint)
- Wightlink Ferries (sponsoring ferry crossings for all visits)
- Javick Laser Ltd (produced data plates)
- Airframe Assemblies
- Aircraft Restoration Company
- Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon (access to Hawker Typhoon MN235 and records)
- Steven Comber / COAP (photographs of completion ceremony)
- All those who have supported the rebuild either financially, or by way of services pro-bono or reduced rates
Support the project now and enable the rebuild to continue:
