During the Battle of Britain this Hurricane was flown by Pilot Officer Rupert Smythe of 32 Squadron. This squadron was based at Biggin Hill in Kent but also operated from the forward base of RAF Hawkinge near the port of Folkestone and so were in the thick of the battle. By late August 1940 they had claimed 102 aircraft destroyed for the loss of seven of their own.
Smythe shot down six enemy aircraft during the battle before himself being shot down and wounded on August 24th. After recovering from his wounds he spent the rest of the war as an instructor.
