The Heart to Heart Blog

The house rules for this blog are simple - be polite, curteous and respect the views of others at all times.

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Dear Santa ...

by John - 00:29 on 11 November 2012

Dear Santa

I know it's a little early but I thought I should write to you now in order to give you adequate time to make all the necessary arrangements.

As always, I have been a very good boy.   Well as you will no doubt appreciate, with heart failure, I have little choice in the mater.  
So rather than my usual pair of socks or lump of coal, I thought that this year you might fulfil my special Christmas wish.

So Santa, please may I have ...

Hawker Hurricane MkXII ref:5711  UK reg G-HURI

You will no doubt recall that when I was a little lad, I think about 8 or 9, I received from you my very first Airfix kit of a Hawker Hurricane.    That was to be the first of many Hurricaine kits, each one getting bigger and bigger and more and more intricate.

Over the years my interest in the Hurricane and memorabilia of it grew and grew and several years ago I managed to procure a set of Hawker Aircraft Company blue-prints for the Hurricane.     I had intended building a full-size 1:1 model, but the sitting room just wasn't big enough to accommodate it.   So that little project has been put on indefinite hold.   (At least till I build a suitable extension.)

Of recent years, I have turned to the computer, to the internet and to modern sophisticated computer software.   Now I can fly my virtual Hurricane in a virtual sky and do so on-line in the company of fellow enthusiasts from across the globe.   We are all just big kids really.
Accurate as such flight simulators are, the still lack that certain je ne sais quoi ...

[Ed: Screen capture from PC of little me during an online flight] 

So Santa, perhaps it's time that I come clean... how do I say this ... Hawker Hurricane MkXII ref:5711 with UK registration of G-HURI... isn't another kit... No... this is the genuine article... a fully airworthy aircraft weighing about half a ton with a 40ft wingspan.   Beautiful isn't she ...

[Ed: G-HURI at Duxford airfield]

It is up for auction at Bonhams on the 3rd December and is offered for sale at an estimate of only £1.4 million -> £1.7 million. 

And fear not this life long affair shows no signs of  diminishing, for as you can see from the recent picture, that is me in the cockpit of a real live WWII Battle of Britain aircraft, (in this particular case a Spitfire)

Sadly aviation authorities were very reluctant to allow a heart failure patient like me to take this beautiful £2million aircraft up for a spin.

[Ed: I was under pain of death not to hit the start button - but was so tempted]

So please Santa – if I promise to be good, can I have it

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