Alcon

Reproduction Hawker Hurricane Canopy
built for the
Alcon Eye Museum
by John Norman

In May 2007, JNE Aircraft Restoration Services was contacted by Dr. Cheri L. Wolfe, curator of the
Alcon Eye Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr. Wolfe was interested in finding a Hawker Hurricane
Canopy to use in an exhibition she was creating that would be devoted to the history of cataract
surgery and the story of Dr. Harold Ridley. She wanted the same type canopy as would have been
found on the Hawker Hurricane that Gordon Neil "Mouse" Cleaver had flown.
Cleaver was a pilot in the 601 Squadron at RAF Tangmere during World War II. The injuries he
received during The Battle of Britain contributed to the inspiration behind the Intraocular lens that
we are familiar with today.

John Norman, of JNE Aircraft Restoration Services, agreed to build a Reproduction Canopy to the
same specifications as an original Hawker Hurricane canopy would have been. This display canopy
provides a few original pieces of the 'glass' as well as a few pieces of new replacement 'glass' (what
the British call perspex, and the American's call plexiglass) as can be seen in the photographs below.

Original arched piece of ‘Perspex’ glass can be seen with scratches received through the years.

A new arched piece of ‘Plexiglass’ with no scratches can be seen at the right side of the canopy,
and the new ‘flat’ pieces along the bottom of the canopy.

An overall view of the port side of the replica canopy.

During World War II and The Battle of Britain, Dr. Ridley worked in several facilities around the
RAF Tangmere. "Mouse" Cleaver had gotten plastic shards from the shattered canopy of his
Hawker Hurricane in his eyes. Dr. Ridley noticed that the eye did not reject the Perspex and was
inspired to invent an intraocular lens (IOL) from the same material.
The IOL can replace the eye's natural lens and has thereby revolutionized cataract surgery.