Corgi AA39701 Hawker Hurricane IIc, BE581, JX-E, RAF 1 Sqn, Flt Lt K M Kuttelwascher, Tangmere , April 1942

Karel ‘Kut’ Kuttelwascher served with the Czechoslovak Air Force until his country was invaded by Germany. He saw combat with the Armee de L’Air (most likely scoring two kills and one possible) in the Battle of France. He also saw action during the Battle of Britain though it was not until 1941 that he increased his score overall to five confirmed and two probable. On the 17th February 1942 ‘Kut’ was promoted to F/Lt. Based at Tangmere, No.1 Sqn commenced night intruder operations from the 1st April 1942 to the 2nd July 1942, during which time they undertook 180 missions, shot down 22 enemy aircraft, and damaged another thirteen. They also destroyed sixty-seven trains, five boats and one vehicle. The highest scoring pilot was F/Lt Kuttelwascher. In only fifteen missions, he gained fifteen confirmed kills, and five damaged airplanes. His aircraft was a Hurricane Mk.IIc, BE581, which he named ‘Night Reaper’ and decorated it with a Scythe.