G-HRLI is a fully restored Battle of Britain Mark I Hurricane which flew under the signature of V7497 which served out of 501 squadron based at Kemble. V7497 was shot down on September 22nd 1940. The pilot, PO Rogers survived his encounter with the celebrated Luftwaffe ace Gustav Sprick, who claimed his 20th victory with the demise of V7497, and was awarded the Knights Cross directly from Hitler as a result. Sprick was one of Adolf Garland’s disciples, Garland being the most successful Luftwaffe pilot who went on to survive the second World War. V7497 was recovered from the crash site in Sutton, Kent, in the 1980s and painstakingly restored by Hawker Restorations Ltd at Elmsett in Suffolk. She returned to the skies in 2018 and is now based in Duxford taking pride of place in the Battle of Britain Hanger 4 next to the IWM’s Mark I Spitfire. For more information on the G-HRLI Mark 1 Hurricane clip on our link below.
Both PO Rogers and his foe Gustav Sprick are survived by a niece, both of whom were primary school teachers, and are due to meet at Duxford in 2022 to see V7497 flow again.
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