..........In the late 80's it was decided by the RAF to bring all the Hurricane and Spitfire gate guardians in from the cold with a view to restoring them to either flying or static condition. Hurricane LF738 was the very last of the RAF's guardian Hurricanes and one that had stood outside St Georges Chapel at Biggin Hill since 1954. Its war service was mainly bomber co-operation and training as the records state.
On September 29 1942 it was delivered from Hawker's factory as part of the 10th production batch of MkII and MkIV Hurricanes. After some time at No.22 MU it was delivered in March 1943 to No.1682 Bomber Defence Training Flight at Enstone, Oxfordshire. This unit had previously used American Curtiss Tomahawks but were in the process of phasing them out in favour of Hurricanes. The main task of the unit was to keep air gunners current with advances in aerial gunnery. Hurricane LF738 was to keep this role for around a year before it went to No.22 OTUat Wellesbourne Mountford in 1944 where it remained until the end of the war and disbandment of the OUT. It then became an instructional airframe for display purposes.
..........With the end of the war it was decided by the Air Ministry to post war related aircraft as gate guardians to many airfields. Biggin Hill, being the main sector station during the Battle of Britain period, July till October 1940, was the destination of Hurricane LF738 together with a Spitfire. They were placed outside St Georges Chapel during a Drumhead Service by the then Lord Bishop of Rochester. Its purpose was to remind the populace of the struggle against tyranny and of the terrible loss of life in doing so. It remained at Biggin Hill in remembrance and honour of those who fell for thirty years.
Unfortunately it fell to the ravages of time and climate and by 1984 the aircraft had deteriorated badly. At this time it was decided to bring many gate guardians inside for restoration to museum status and LF738, now taken over by the RAF Museum at Cosford, arrived at Rochester for restoration by MAPS. Such was its condition that the RAF agreed to release the Bentley Priory guardian Hurricane so that components from both aircraft could be used in the rebuilding programme.
The restoration took just over two and a half years and 20,000 man hours of work. Upon completion it was handed over to the RAF on June 28 1995 at a ceremony at Rochester Airport. Today it stands proud in the museum at RAF Cosford, a reminder to all of the good work done by MAPS.

Robin Brooks

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