Jimmy Whalen’s family visits BBMF
Header image: The visitors and BBMF Hurricane PZ865 in the colours of their relative’s aircraft, with Sqn Ldr Clive Rowley MBE RAF (Retd) on the left and OC BBMF, Sqn Ldr Mark ‘Disco’ Discombe AFC, fourth from left. OC BBMF is holding the original nose art panel, painted by Jimmy Whalen in 1944, along with Jimmy’s spare set of flying goggles. (Photo: RAF Coningsby Photo Section Crown Copyright)
Since 2012 BBMF Hurricane Mk IIC PZ865 has been painted in the South East Asia Command, 34 Squadron colours of the personal aircraft of Flight Lieutenant Jimmy Whalen DFC RCAF. Jimmy Whalen was shot down and killed by Japanese ground fire on 18th April 1944, whilst he was flying another Hurricane, five days before his 24th birthday. At the end of the 2019 display season PZ865 will be flown to Biggin Hill to undergo a ‘Major’ maintenance programme under contract with The Spitfire Company, from which it will emerge in a new colour scheme as an all-black 247 Squadron night-fighter Hurricane.