Ukraine Finds 8 British Hurricanes In Kyiv

YouTube / BBC News

Eight British Hurricane fighter planes from WWII were found buried deep inside a forest in Ukraine last July. These fighters were reported to be sent to the Soviet Union by Britain under the Lend-Lease program of WWII.

“It’s very important for our aviation history because no Lend-Lease aircraft have been found here before.” says Oleksh Shtan, who led the excavation efforts.

Around 3,000 Hurricanes were sent to the USSR during the war – most of which were either destroyed or dismantled for parts. However, some Hurricanes were reported to have been “broken up and buried,” so that the nation didn’t have to pay the US back.

The remains of the Hurricanes support just that – their instruments were stripped off, and so were their radios, machine guns, and other scrap metal. It wasn’t until they found an unexploded bomb from WWII that they also found the Hurricanes in the nearby area. 

They are now aiming to excavate, restore, and reassemble the Hurricanes in hopes of putting it on display in the future. Here’s to hoping it goes well!