MIKE USHERWOOD is right (Letters, July 3). The “Hurricane” adorning the Theatre Royal is a replica, but a much-enhanced version to achieve greater realism.
That it is a good evocation of the genuine article was demonstrated earlier this year when a serving RAF pilot asked me if it was the real thing. The Yorkshire Air Museum would dearly love it be an actual Hurricane, though no way would you be able to view it in its present commanding location if it were.
In my Soap Box letter to the Press on this subject earlier this week, I deliberately applied quotation marks when referring to the convincing representation above the theatre, but omitted such punctuation when recalling the aircraft that downed a Luftwaffe bomber during the ‘Baedeker’ Raid on York (sorry, nearly said ‘Blitz!).
The Hurricane – without quotation marks – that will, hopefully, fly over York tomorrow morning for the Grand Départ will be an actual example of Sir Sydney Camm’s masterpiece to which this country owes so much.
Lovingly preserved and operated by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, it will make its presence felt alongside a Spitfire and the Lancaster from RAF Coningsby.
As Mike knows, participation by these veteran machines depends on weather and serviceability, so fingers crossed that this aerial salute isn’t thwarted.
Problem is, Mike may have to brave rather a lot of bikes.
Derek Reed, Middlethorpe Drive, York.
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