We are urgently seeking volunteers to help rebuild the Hurricane wings and the Fury aircraft, with or without experience, as training will be given.
We also need financial help to keep the restoration going in these challenging times. If you can spare a few pounds, it will make all the difference to society’s future.
When the Hurricane and Fury restoration is complete, we have been negotiating with the CEO (Alan Winn) and the Committee at the Brooklands Museum to have these aircraft in the CBFS/Rogers Gallery in a new hangar that has been built on the site. It gives me reassurance that the aircraft will be displayed in a manner that we have negotiated together with other criteria that have been discussed. It makes me happy that, at last, we have found an organization that is true to their word and so helpful in the process of getting us forward, unlike other premier museums that are full of hot air. As far as we are concerned, the Brooklands Museum and CBFS have made a contract, regardless of change of management, and agreed by Brooklands to have these displayed upon completion.
CBFS Open Day 2025
We will be opening our facility to visitors on Sunday, 24th August 2025 between 10:00am and 5:00pm, in conjunction with the Little Gransden Car and Air Show for Children in Need. There will also be military vehicles, classic cars, and vintage aircraft flying throughout the day. There will be an information and museum section dedicated to the 85 and 43 Squadrons, together with other audiovisuals. Please telephone Paul Rogers on 07703 832099, or alternatively, complete the form on our contact page to book your visit, whether a group or an individual. Booking is necessary to enable proper coordination for this event. Tickets will also be available on the day from the CBFS marquee. We’re looking for helpers on the day.
These vehicles are available for parties, weddings, filming, corporate events, hen and stag parties, school proms, any promotional work, etc.
The Jeep is a M-38 Ford Willy fully restored to working condition and insured. The interior is fully fitted out with working radios for M1 and M50.
This Rolls Royce Silver Shadow is a new addition to our classic collection. Available for events as above.
2024
This year has been a good year for new volunteers. The poster campaign and other initiatives will continue in 2025. We are currently looking for sponsorship to help with the running costs.
On the Hurricane front, we have just finished both port and starboard navigation light assembly together with metalwork. We are also starting to put the main ribs on the wings. The inside of the centre section has been repainted ready for the wheel house panel work. The entrance for the return radiator pipe has been finished. Several cover strips have been manufactured for the wing nosing, fin, rudder and tail plane.
We have also received sponsorship for all the fabric to complete both the Hurricane and Fury from colleagues, Paul and Steve, at Brooklands Museum. In September 2024, an article was published in the Brooklands Museum Volunteer magazine, highlighting our work and to increase their working parties during 2025.
We have recently finished the Fury propellor hub which is now on the Kestrel engine. The Watts propellor is being re-profiled to get the angles right.
The Fury tail plane has been completed and located on its plug end assemblies so that the angle of the tail plane is higher at the front and lower at the back in order to gain proper lift. The main four hinges for the elevator have now been completed and fitted on the tail plane, alongside the control tube that forms the main part for the elevator. This is then ready to fit the trailing edge, followed by the ribs. The centre section main wing is awaiting the front wooden covering for the nosing ribs. This year we will raise the centre section wing and start assembling wing struts.
We are working on putting the nose covering on the centre section as well as concentrating on the tail plane, elevator, header tank framework and main top fuel tank.
Below images show the finished Hurricane cockpit with radio tray, battery, control column and levers, sutton harness, armour, compass tray, canopy, heel boards, fully fitted out with detail.
We have mainly been concentrating on the main centre section wing of the Hawker Fury, ready to position the struts onto the fuselage to hold the centre section wing in place. We have also been manufacturing the main fuel tank and reserve fuel tank, as shown below.
We are in the process of making the gun cover gulleys inside the fuselage fuel tank. Progress has been made on the first cover plate, where the two brownings are positioned and covered with a leather sheath that goes over the gun and onto the panel.
We have finished the flare cartridge holder and also positioned the cockpit side ribs, along with the oxygen bottle and heater panel.
Work on the Hurricane has progressed in that we have been finishing off the wing tips, the navigation lights (port and starboard), and the cover panels, including the lens covers. We have completed the centre section and wing cover panels on both wings, in addition to partly fitting the outer flap connections.
We have also been working on the pneumatic valves and positioning the cover panel to hold the pipes and clips to the centre section air bottle. The next step is to put the ammo shutes on to the brownings as well as fit the ammo boxes permanently.
We have now finished this 85 Squadron cockpit, fitted out with a lot of original parts.
Above is a photo of Paddy at 103, reminiscing about his younger self at Debden in Essex, circa. 1940. We are paying tribute to him with a fully fitted-out Hurricane cockpit of the aircraft he flew with 85 Squadron (VYX).
2023
2022
Volunteers from the Brooklands Museum will be returning to assist on the Hurricane and Fury projects during October and beyond.
Work continues on the Fury; we have just finished the main planes and centre section wing. We have started to fit the ribs and the long-distance fuel tank in the centre section. We are in the process of fitting the main fuel tank in the fuselage, together with the header tank. We are continuing to fit the wing ribs onto the main planes.
Recently fitted the Fury firewall and associated brackets.
Also finished was the Merlin II (1938) as a display engine.
For the Hurricane, we have finished the gun bays on the wings plus a 51-series camera on the left-hand side wing with original gun port covers. We have also fitted the outriggers, wing tips, and outer flaps. We have just started to complete the extra trailing edge, nearer the centre section of the wing, and we are also starting to produce the box sections that hold the flap on.
Just recently, we finished and fitted the tail plane, elevators, rudder, and rear quarter panel in the fuselage under the tail plane. Our next job is to fit all the control wires that have been made, ready for fitting.
The Paddy Hemingway cockpit section is three-quarters finished and will be displayed on one of our open days.
2021
Just recently, we fitted a tailplane, elevators, and rudder to the Hurricane framework, locating pins for the tailplan on the fuselage. We are now in the process of fitting the original cover plates on the tail plane ribs and the outer panel for the tail plane tip. We still have yet to make the wooden hinge covers.
The Hurricane has been moved over so that we can work on the wing tips. The Merlin II is coming along nicely, which will mean we will have four engines on display.
We have found a company that will CNC the wooden formers for the fury wings. Peter and Gist are in the process of making the wing sheer plates. All the struts have been made and will soon be fitting the adjusters. The main single fuse board on the right-hand side near the seat has been fitted. The fury rudder is on permanently.
This year, there should be an article about Paddy Hemingway (a Battle of France and Battle of Britain pilot) in the national press.
I almost finished the Hurricane cockpit P3408, which is a tribute to Paddy Hemingway (85 Squadron). My next job is to make aluminium cockpit side panels and place them on the trolley, ready to be moved to the main hangar at Little Gransden.
The left- and right-hand Hurricane wings are taking shape, with the wing tip, outriggers, and main outer flaps. Tim and Peter have nearly finished both gun bays—all original parts.
2020
This year has been financially difficult and has delayed progress in operations.
Just recently, we were contacted by Brian Hemingway, who is helping us with the promotion of the 85 Squadron Hurricane and national media attention.
We have been working on the port wing internal rib work and laying out the wing tip. The aerolons for the wings are almost complete, as is the set of drum drives for the control wires. The reserve tank for the Fury is finished, ready to be fitted. The main wing fuel tanks are in the process of being made. Most of the wing spars for the Fury are now complete. The centre section spars will be worked on in the near future The tail plane for the Fury is three-quarters finished.
While the COVID-19 lockdown is in place, Paul has been working in isolation on a new Hurricane Mark I cockpit, which will include a canopy, instrument set, control column, wooden dog kennel, and framework on a mobile support. This cockpit is dedicated to the Paddy Hemingway P3408. This will be ready for visitors to sit in the cockpit and take pictures as an added attraction for the Open Day in 2021.
2019
This has been another bumper year for volunteers, as fourteen have signed up to work on both aircraft.
We would like to thank Mark Langley at Cambridge Roof Exchange for his excellent workmanship and professionalism on the new roof at Little Gransden, despite the lack of support from the owners to resolve the leaking roof. We would highly recommend Mark and his team for this type of work. Well done, chaps.
We have made good progress on the right-hand side wing of the Hurricane, with most of the internal linking spars nearly finished. The tailplane and elevators are finished, ready to be fitted when we move the aircraft around. We have also made the control wire fair leads section, which holds the main flap control to the wings.
The two main wing flaps are nearly complete, with new ribs and leading edges replaced, one of which is 98% original. The Fury right-hand side wing is nearly finished, and we are progressing on the left-hand side and, after that, the centre section wing.
The reserve fuel tank for the Fury is almost finished; it just needs painting and fitting into the fuselage. In the next few weeks, we will be making inroads to the main fuel tanks for the Fury. We will also be removing the engine frame and fitting the firewall.
2018
As 2018 draws to a close, we have finished the Hurricane tail plane; all wing spars for the Fury bi-plane; rudder for the bi-plane; seat adjuster; secondary panel; guns and gun mounts; instrument panel; undercarriage leg bracing wires; fuselage bracing wires; radiator and brackets; and basic engine cowlings.
We have also made progress on the main wing bridge construction, as well as the main fuel tanks and the oil tank.
On the Hurricane, we have fitted the right-hand side main wing spars and fitted out the cross brace spars. The wing tips have now been rolled, and the wing nosing ribs have been completed on both sides. The remainder of the instruments have been cleaned and re-faced, ready to be fitted in 2019. A de-icer tank and associated fittings have also been completed, along with the hydraulic box selector and control rods. The main 28-gallon fuel tank has now been permanently fitted, as have the main side and front screens with metal surrounds.
Paul will continue his lectures throughout 2019.
Membership steadily increased throughout 2018. We have now completed the tail plane and the wheel house assembly on the Hurricane, which will be fitted in due course. The running boards are now being permanently fitted. The right wing has now been fitted, and the interspars are now being made. The last cockpit cowling panel and landing lamp assemblies are in the final stages of completion.
As you can see by the images below, the reserve tank and early front and side screens with support brackets have been fitted to the Hurricane, along with the top A2 panel and original header tank.
The fury is progressing nicely. We’ve just made up the two engine side cowlings and the top of the nosing cover. All the bracing wires and anti-vibration pads are in place, as are the rudder and wiring. The Kestrel engine is finished and ready to be fitted in the engine bay. Most of the bottom and top wing spars are now ready to be fitted, and the wing bridge is to be assembled.
On July 21, a party of volunteers from CBFS visited the Brooklands Museum and found it very interesting. They were given a talk on the history of the Brooklands Hurricane, and the Director General of CBFS was treated to a private inspection of the whole site by Andy. However, we would like to thank David and Steve for their hospitality; however, we were disappointed not to meet the management of the museum.
2017
The Hawker Fury is now in place and was on display at our Open Day in August. We have just recently refitted the instrument panel into the cockpit. This is a standard RAF instrument panel for the bi-plane. We have just fitted the primer pump, and the firewall is nearly finished and awaiting fitting. The radiator has now been fitted, and a rudder has been finished. Skinning of the front engine cowls and nosing are in progress. The bracing wires and anti-vibration washer are in the process of being fitted. The seat has now been permanently fitted with the adjuster. The front and rear gun mounts have now been completed, along with the associated half-moon panel. Most of the wing spars have been put together.
The wheelhouse panels and assemblies are almost finished and ready to be fitted.
Lecture time is almost upon us with 3 lectures during 2018.
We have made steady progress on the control tube for the hurricane. Most of the control wires, plus adjusters, have been made for the Fury and the Hurricane. All fuel tanks are now finished for the hurricane and covered in fabric, ready to be fitted.
All of the fair lead and block mounting plates for the control wires are almost complete. Wing spars for the other wing are now in place. The complete tailplane, with elevators, is nearly finished and ready to be fitted. The radiator cowling has also been finished. We have just taken delivery of the all-in-one side and front screen. The front screen and surrounding assembly are nearly complete. The Kestrel engine is also finished and ready to be fitted into the engine frame. The front windscreen and assembly have been painted and permanently fitted to the Hurricane. The hydraulic selector box and control arms are now fitted. The hydraulic pump and brackets are ready to be fitted, along with the de-icer box and brackets (all original).
2014
With reference to the new book, Hurricane Survivors (in which we are included), it is rather inaccurate.
Membership is on the increase, which is encouraging.
The rudder is now complete and ready to be fitted.
We are in the process of finishing off the control wires and have also finished the blast tubes for the browning. We are in the process of making nosing ribs for the wing.
We will soon be fitting the remaining three instruments into the instrument panel, which will make that complete. The wheel house panel work is nearing completion. The oil tank and adjacent fillet panel have now been fitted. We are hoping to extend the workshop size so that we can work on the wings properly.
The Artists Guild visited the workshop in June along with other
organizations throughout the year.
We have just started to restore the three tail planes and are also removing the elevator control tubes and ribs, ready to refurbish the whole assembly.
The radiator scoop has now been finished and ready for fitting to the brackets.
The right-hand side quarter panels and fillet panels, plus the oil tank nosing, tank cover, and front clips, are now in place. All the woodwork on the Hurricane is now complete and painted.
The main early windscreen and surrounding clips and stays are now on the way to being fitted (see photo on the workshop page).
Blast tubes for the replica brownings are also ready to be fitted.
We are also carrying on with the last remaining cockpit cowlings that we are making.
Membership has continued to grow this year, which is very encouraging. The 2014 AGM will take place at the end of November.
Progress on the Hawker Fury continues, as we have nearly finished the engine frame. Most of the woodwork is now complete, apart from the two hatches that cover the radio equipment. The rear inspection panel is fitted around the fasteners, and we are now making inroads with the rudder assembly. We will shortly be refitting the instrument panel, complete with the appropriate instruments. The engine for the bi-plane is near completion and will be fitted in the summer of 2016. We also have the Watts propellor for the bi-plane and the attachment assembly.
The Watts propellor hub has now been delivered, ready for mounting with the engine later on. The Hurricane will be moved around slightly so we can accommodate the right-hand side wing assembly, ready for the interspar to be fitted.
2013
We had a good attendance at the AGM in November 2013. Membership is on the increase again, with several new younger members.
In the November 2013 issue of FlyPast, there was a small update on our Hawker Fury project. Most of the woodwork is now finished, the rear fin has been fitted, and the rear inspection hatch and surround are nearing completion. Our engine frame is now ready to assemble, and the instrument panel is now being fitted out with instruments and labels. Control grip and control mechanism will be fitted along with cable connections in due course.
We are making progress in finishing off the Kestrel engine. We are in the process of fitting the RT hatches. The fin is now in place, as are the rear inspection hatches. The engine frame is three-quarters finished.
We have been concentrating on the main centre section fuel tanks (33 gallons). These are now ready to be covered in fabric. We are now positioning the tank mounts onto the main framework. You will see these in the new pictures on the workshop pages.
We are now firming up the cowling rails and fasteners for the panels to be secured to.
One of our new members has started to make the wheelhouse panel work for the centre section.
It was nice to see that we often get wartime veterans visiting us. They are always full of interesting and historical facts about their time in the Royal Air Force (see picture left). He flew L1639 across London to another squadron.
Our 2013 Open Day was another complete success. I would especially like to thank Dick and Maureen and their friends for their support and energy in selling the Open Day tickets throughout the day. Many thanks to all the other volunteers that worked on the day and behind the scenes in preparation for the event. A personal thanks to all the people that worked in the CBFS marquee: Scott, Steve, Simon, and his wife, Phil, and Sonia.
We have been working on the nose oil tank, which is now on its way to being fitted.
We have had some young university members who are proving very valuable to the project.
The Griffon engine: note the new rocker cover, freshly painted, and a new set of older-style exhausts with the engine mount alongside.
Getting back to the Merlin for the Hurricane, this will go in to Vintec at Little Gransden to have its checks done properly and also test the engine in a running condition, ready to put into the aircraft. Paul at Vintec is taking on this project for us.
Recently, we have been refurbishing the port and starboard 33-gallon wing tanks, ready for covering in the sealing sheets, followed by labelling and fabric. The tanks are now ready to be labelled and fitted into the centre section.
One or two other cockpit panels and the rolled quarter panel are in the process of being made.
This is the type of aircraft that Townsend’s flew at 43 Squadron during the 1930s.
Thomas Gower Studios has kindly painted a typical set of pictures of 85 Squadron Battle of France scenes at Seclan, Abbeyville, and Lille, which are available on our Open Day and other events throughout. These are brilliant paintings and will be available as a limited edition to help fund our restoration work.
Please note: Paul can be contacted at the workshop on 07703 832099.
Membership and Constitution
The Cambridge Bomber and Fighter Society (CBFS) was formed by several aviation enthusiasts. Its aim is to restore and perpetuate the advancement of aviation preservation in the UK. We are mainly concerned with fighter aircraft at present; the rebuild of our very early Hurricane and Fury will be a tribute to 85 and 43 Squadrons and especially to Squadron Leader Peter Townsend. We are currently looking for volunteers (male or female) with or without mechanical or engineering backgrounds (great enthusiasm is all that’s needed) to assist with restoring and refinishing components.
We have two workshops, one at Little Gransden and the other in the Warboys area. Work on both the hurricane and the fury takes place in either workshop.
In each workshop, our Constitution is displayed concerning policy and membership.
Aviation Heritage UK
Mr Brian Dixon, Membership Secretary, Tel: 0191 259 9800
85 Squadron Association
Peter Randell, Secretary
Membership to Cambridge Bomber and Fighter Society is available to any individual with a keen interest in aviation (and who doesn’t mind getting their hands dirty)!