Hurricane LF363 painted in its new colours

Header image: BBMF Hurricane Mk II LF363 has been painted in its new colours as 303 Kościuszko Sqn’s ‘RF-J’. (Photo: via BBMF)

As part of its ‘Major’ servicing at Biggin Hill, BBMF Hurricane Mk II LF363 has been repainted into its new colours as ‘RF-J’ of 303 Kościuszko (Polish) Squadron during the Battle of Britain.

The original Hurricane ‘RF-J’, which LF363 now represents, was Hurricane Mk 1 V6665, which was delivered to 303 Squadron at Northolt on 7th September 1940, as a replacement aircraft. In a stark demonstration of the high loss rates during the Battle, it was to last only 20 days before it too was lost in combat.

In common with all the 303 Squadron Hurricanes, V6665 was painted with the colourful circular unit badge on each side of the upper fuselage under the wireless aerial mast. In addition, shortly after receiving instructions from HQ 11 Group on 16th September, V6665 was painted with an unusual red diagonal band around the rear fuselage ahead of the fin and tail. This was an experimental identification marking that was applied to three of 303 Squadron’s Hurricanes as a trial, which was subsequently not pursued. It was not, as some think, an indication that this was a flight commander’s aircraft.

Hurricane V6665 was flown on its first operational sortie on 9th September 1940 by Flight Lieutenant Johnny Kent, a Canadian RAF pilot who was one of the RAF flight commanders on the unit. During this sortie Kent damaged a Junkers Ju 88 twin-engine bomber and shot down a Me Bf 110, which crashed into the water of the English Channel and exploded with no sign of survivors from its crew.

Hurricane V6665 flew a total of 19 operational sorties during its short life with 303 Squadron, the majority (11 sorties) with Johnny Kent as the pilot. In total, V6665’s pilots claimed four enemy aircraft destroyed in the aircraft. Polish pilot Sergeant Michal Brzezowski claimed two Heinkel He 111s in V6665; sadly, he was killed on 11th September when he was shot down flying another Hurricane. Sergeant Tadeusz Andruszkow destroyed a Dornier Do-17 whilst flying V6665 on 26th September, but he was shot down and killed flying the aircraft the following day. He was only 19 years old when he died. He is buried in Northwood Cemetery, Middlesex. Hurricane V6665 crashed near Cowden, Kent, and was destroyed.

303 Squadron is now accepted as being the highest scoring RAF fighter squadron of the Battle of Britain, with the best kills to loss ratio of all RAF units involved in the Battle, despite being in the front line for only 42 days.

In its new markings Hurricane LF363 allows the BBMF to commemorate Group Captain Johnny Kent DFC and Bar, AFC, Virtuti Militari, whose final total of wartime victories was 13 enemy aircraft destroyed, and also the vital part that the Polish Air Force played in defending freedom during the Second World War and the Battle of Britain in particular. It is expected that LF363 will be air tested from Biggin Hill later in March and it will then return to its home with the BBMF at RAF Coningsby ready for the 2022 display season.