This piece of aircraft fabric meas. approx. 10.75 inches at its longest point and 9.25 inches wide. The face of the fabric is painted an olive drab color with a yellow number “13.” This section of aircraft canvas skin was cut from a Royal Canadian Air Force Hurricane Mk IIb identification number of “BH 131.” The aircraft was manufactured by the Gloster Aircraft Company for Hawker Siddeley and was assigned to the 417 (F) Squadron of the RCAF. The squadron was the only RCAF unit to fly Hurricanes in North Africa.

The 417 (City of Windsor) Squadron was formed at Charmy Down on November 27, 1941 and was called into readiness on February 12, 1942 as part of Operation Fuller which was an attempt to keep the German ships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst from sailing up the Channel. Later that month it moved to Tain, Scotland, but in March it was withdrawn from operations to prepare to move overseas.

The squadron arrived in Egypt in June of 1942 after a trip around the Cape. The Pilots were assigned to the Aircraft Delivery Unit while the ground personnel serviced US bombers working in the area. The squadron was reassembled on September 6, 1942 and upon the receipt of Hurricanes it immediately began defensive duties in the Canal Zone.

In October the squadron began to change over to Spitfires and by February of 1943 they were fully equipped. The 417th flew Spitfires through to the end of the war being stationed successively at Malta, Sicily and Italy. The battle honors for the squadron include Defense of Britain 1942; Egypt and Libya 1942-1943; North Africa 1943; Sicily 1943; Italy 1943-1945 (Salerno; Anzio and Nettuno; Gustav Line; Gothic Line).

This piece of fabric would have been cut during the time the squadron was flying Hurricanes between September of 1942 and February of 1943. Written on the back of the canvas is a war-time inscription that reads “TO FREDDIE FROM UNCLE JIMMY.” The edge opposite the inscription has a jagged edge and the word “SHRAPNEL.” No doubt the aircraft sustained some shrapnel damage and the pilot had the removed piece saved to send to his nephew.

The “UNCLE JIMMY” mentioned in the inscription was the RCAF Pilot of Hurricane BH 131, Jim Costantino.

This relic came from the niece of the Pilot who was the sister of the “FREDDIE” mentioned in the inscription.

The item is in good condition and comes with a small amount of Internet research.

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