About Hawker Fighters
Hawker Fury I K5674
The Hawker Fury K5674 is a remarkable aviation relic — the only airworthy example of the iconic British Hawker Fury biplane in the world. The Fury itself was a premier RAF fighter of the 1930s, celebrated for being the first interceptor in Royal Air Force service capable of exceeding 200 mph in level flight. Designed by Sidney Camm as the fighter counterpart to the successful Hawker Hart light bomber, the Fury combined agility with speed, helping shape British fighter development in the interwar years.
Built in 1935 with manufacturer’s serial number 41H-67550 and assigned RAF serial K5674, this Fury was delivered to the Royal Air Force and served with No. 43 Squadron “The Fighting Cocks” at RAF Tangmere from 1936 until 1939. During this period it was flown by Flying Officer Frederick Rosier — later Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rosier — who logged numerous flights in the aircraft. Its distinctive look and performance made it a standout of RAF fighter units in the years before World War II.
After leaving RAF service, Fury K5674 was sent to South Africa in 1940 for use with the South African Air Force. Here it continued flying until March 1941, when it ran out of fuel and was forced to land; the pilot escaped unhurt, but the aircraft was later scrapped. The wreckage was later rediscovered on South African farmland in the early 1990s. In 1992 the aircraft was acquired by enthusiasts and underwent an extensive restoration that took nearly two decades.
Today Fury K5674 bears the civil registration G-CBZP and is owned by the Historic Aircraft Collection at the Imperial War Museum’s Duxford airfield in the United Kingdom. Restored to authentic flying condition, it now regularly appears at classic airshows and flying displays, serving as a living link to the golden age of biplane fighters and preserving a unique piece of British aviation history for future generations
Hawker Nimrod II K3661
The Hawker Nimrod K3661 is one of the rare surviving examples of the British Hawker Nimrod II, a carrier-based naval fighter biplane developed in the early 1930s by Hawker Aircraft Ltd to meet the Royal Navy’s need for a modern fighter to replace older types such as the Fairey Flycatcher. Designed by Sydney Camm and powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine, the Nimrod shared many design features with its land-based cousin, the Hawker Fury, but incorporated naval adaptations such as strengthened structure, flotation gear, and arrester equipment for aircraft carrier operations. In total, around thirty Nimrod II aircraft were built for the Fleet Air Arm, serving aboard carriers and with shore units from the mid-1930s until the type was phased out prior to World War II.
K3661 itself was completed on 5 September 1934 with manufacturer’s construction number 41H/59890, entering service in the mid-1930s and being assigned at various times to 802 Flight (later 802 Squadron) of the Fleet Air Arm, where it carried squadron codes such as 562. During its operational life it served from Mediterranean postings in 1936 through to 1938, when it suffered a couple of landing accidents; by the outbreak of war the design was already being superseded and the aircraft was eventually stricken from active service.
After decades hidden from view, K3661’s fuselage was rediscovered in 1972 on a rubbish dump near Ashford in Kent, remarkably more or less complete but badly corroded. The remains were recovered and donated to the RAF Museum, where they were stored for years until the airframe was sold to private interests in the early 1990s. Combined with other parts held by museums and supplemented by drawings from archives such as the Royal Danish Air Force’s, the restoration began in earnest in 1992. The painstaking rebuild included remanufacture of complex components and the sourcing and overhaul of a suitable Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine.
Today the restored aircraft carries the civil registration G-BURZ and is operated by the Historic Aircraft Collection based at the Imperial War Museum’s Duxford Airfield in the UK. It is believed to be the only airworthy Nimrod II in the world and regularly appears at classic aviation displays, wearing historical Fleet Air Arm markings that reflect its original identity as K3661/562. This flying survivor stands as a vivid reminder of inter-war naval aviation and the elegant engineering of early Hawker biplane fighters.
Historic Aircraft Collection Ltd
Historic Aircraft Collection was formed in 1998 and specialises in the restoration and operation of rare piston-engined military aircraft, often referred to as warbirds. The organisation has become a respected operator within the historic aviation community operating from both IWM Duxford & at Old Warden with The Shuttleworth Collection.
Over the years, Historic Aircraft Collection Ltd has restored and operated a number of iconic aircraft — including Supermarine Spitfires, Hawker Hurricane, Hawker Fury, and Hawker Nimrods — and its airworthy warbirds appear frequently at airshows and heritage aviation events across the UK and Europe. Its fleet and restoration projects are focused on keeping historically significant aircraft flying while educating the public about aviation heritage through displays, events, and collaborative commemorative initiatives.