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A rare aircraft from the 1930s comes to life at the Canada Aviation Museum |
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Written by Canadian Aviation Museum
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Friday, 04 September 2009 |
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On Saturday, September 5th 2009, the Canada Aviation Museum invites the media and the public to the Museum to share in the experience as it brings back to life a rare example of the famous Hawker Hind biplane from the 1930s.
The Hawker Hind was flown by most of the freshly trained bomber pilots of the mid-to-late 1930s. It featured a pilot and air-gunner/wireless operator, a model based on the successful Bristol F2B fighter of the First World War. The Hawker Hind family of biplanes was the last biplane light bombers flown by the Royal Air Force (RAF). Production ceased in 1938 and it vanished from first-line but continued to be used in auxiliary roles well into the Second World War. The Hind is powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel, 640 hp, and V-12 engine, the precursor of the famous Rolls Royce Merlin that powered the Spitfires, Hurricanes, Lancasters and Mustangs of the Second World War
The Museum’s Hawker Hind was built in 1937 as a light bomber for the RAF. In 1938 it was one of 19 Hinds delivered to the Royal Afghan Air Force. It was discovered in 1974 lying in a derelict state in Afghanistan and was repatriated to Canada in 1975 where it was completely restored by George Neal a famous test pilot for de Havilland Canada. Mr. Neal also built the Museum’s replica Sopwith Pup, which he flew for many years at air shows around Canada.
In mid-August the Museum ran a test start of the Hind in anticipation of Saturday’s event. The test run-up can be seen on the Museum Face book page “Canada Aviation Museum” and on You-Tube (Running up the Hawker Hind).
The Canada Aviation Museum is Canada’s finest aviation museum with an internationally renowned aeronautical collection. The Museum, a component of the Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation, is located at the intersection of Aviation and Rockcliffe Parkways, just 10 minutes from Parliament Hill.
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