How city's Spitfire memorial will look (From Daily Echo)
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How city's Spitfire memorial will look
9:06am Monday 29th September 2008 in
-
- By Peter Law » Feature Writer
THE final design for Southampton’s proposed tribute to the Spitfire can today be unveiled by the Daily Echo.
Soaring 160ft into the city skyline and with a wingspan of 110ft – three times the size of the legendary fighter plane – the memorial is set to become an internationally recognised landmark.
A location for the towering monument remains a secret, however negotiations with a landowner are at an advanced stage.
It is the latest boost to the Echo’s campaign for a tribute to the Spitfire, and the men and women who built and flew it, after Prime Minister Gordon Brown gave his public backing in the summer.
Designed by renowned British sculptor Kenneth Potts, the wire-mesh styled Spitfire will be held aloft by three enormous pylons.
Swooping in the sky, the distinctive shape that made the Second World War aircraft instantly recognisable will be visible from vantage points across the city.
At night, lights projected onto the stainless steel sculpture will illuminate it in its numerous battle camouflages.
Colours would include the brown and green used during the Battle of Britain in 1941, the green and grey used in conflicts over Europe and the black and white invasion stripes of D-Day.
The city council commissioned three artists to submit proposals and the winning design was chosen by the Spitfire Tribute Foundation, a group of council, business, media and aviation leaders.
Councillor John Hannides, the foundation chairman, said the sculpture was true to RJ Mitchell’s original design and would be the icon that defines Southampton.
“Now that we have an agreed design I hope it will capture the imagination of the people of Southampton who will help us make it a reality,”
said the Cabinet member for leisure, culture and heritage.
Artist Potts – who created a number of military memorials – said the Spitfire was the most ambitious of his career.
“There are not many pieces of sculpture anywhere that are of this scale. It’s not only a landmark for Southampton, but a landmark for Britain – it is a piece that could rival America’s Statue of Liberty,” he said.
Mr Potts said the stainless steel mesh and colourful lighting of the Spitfire was an important feature of his proposal.
The original Angel of the North-inspired concept to stand the Spitfire on its tail, which received a mixed reaction since being revealed late last year, has been abandoned.
A full feasibility will now be carried out, including the testing of a scale model in a wind tunnel and detailed research into the construction.
The foundation has so far raised £30,000 from sponsors and the city council has committed £70,000.
Comments(30)
Remmington
says...
9:24am Mon 29 Sep 08
thesaint
says...
9:41am Mon 29 Sep 08
jamafrican
says...
10:11am Mon 29 Sep 08
With Southampton trying to build on it's status as a maritime city why are we building a tribute to a plane!!
I have no problem paying for something that will attract visitors to the city...but this stinks of a clear naivety and complete lack of strategic aptitude from the councilors in charge of our city
goard
says...
10:17am Mon 29 Sep 08
goard
Duncan Disorderly
says...
11:29am Mon 29 Sep 08
Bright Spark
says...
11:53am Mon 29 Sep 08
goard
says...
2:31pm Mon 29 Sep 08
goard
m lauder
says...
2:38pm Mon 29 Sep 08
Lone Ranger
says...
2:49pm Mon 29 Sep 08
thesaint
says...
3:05pm Mon 29 Sep 08
Duncan Disorderly wrote:its got the same cheap imagination idea has the airfix model,cannot see anyone going out of their way to see it,i was expecting a big idea and then we get a cheap micky mouse idea.
I hope it'll look better than that Airfix model on scaffold poles outside the airport
the missing ingridient
says...
3:19pm Mon 29 Sep 08
Remmington wrote:spledid,along with so few much is owed by so many. if it wasn't for the gallentry of the piolets of spitfires etc the battle of britain would never have been won and everyong in england would be under the bloody nazi jackboot.
High flying dreams - waste of time and money that could be spent on cleaning up the city
obelisker
says...
3:29pm Mon 29 Sep 08
the missing ingridient wrote:Wise words of wisdom.......Norman
Remmington wrote:
High flying dreams - waste of time and money that could be spent on cleaning up the cityspledid,along with so few much is owed by so many. if it wasn't for the gallentry of the piolets of spitfires etc the battle of britain would never have been won and everyong in england would be under the bloody nazi jackboot.
baz1
says...
3:46pm Mon 29 Sep 08
obelisker
says...
4:08pm Mon 29 Sep 08
ny Hill,dull-dull-dull.
..I propose a Totem Pole of Transit Vans through the ages topped off with the last one off the line at Fords-Eastleigh...al
l those brothers in favour say "aye".
londonsaint
says...
5:11pm Mon 29 Sep 08
Patron
says...
6:41pm Mon 29 Sep 08
Miles Sway
says...
6:47pm Mon 29 Sep 08
Miles Sway
says...
6:53pm Mon 29 Sep 08
Patron wrote:LOL - it'd turn out like a Messerschmidt (and if I've spelt that wrong I don't care)
Should of got the guy who made the first Ted Bates Statue to do it.
obelisker
says...
7:00pm Mon 29 Sep 08
ex so'ton
says...
7:46pm Mon 29 Sep 08
Treas
says...
8:38pm Mon 29 Sep 08
023
says...
9:00pm Mon 29 Sep 08
Dr Alimantado
says...
9:04pm Mon 29 Sep 08
the missing ingridient wrote:maybe so, but totally irrelevant to the argument. The question is does the monument look good and do people want it?
Remmington wrote:High flying dreams - waste of time and money that could be spent on cleaning up the cityspledid,along with so few much is owed by so many. if it wasn't for the gallentry of the piolets of spitfires etc the battle of britain would never have been won and everyong in england would be under the bloody nazi jackboot.
H.R.H. KING MUSH
says...
9:39pm Mon 29 Sep 08
put it in the right place so all can see it i.e. mayflower park so all the people on cruise ships and ocean liners can have a good view of southsmpton's wow factor, it would be first and last thing they see"
The 'last thing they see' ???
Phew - bit pessimistic about safety at sea arent we?
White Star Line coming back?
"
Bright Spark
says...
9:59pm Mon 29 Sep 08
WoolstonSean
says...
11:27pm Mon 29 Sep 08
Bright Spark wrote:(cos there is nowhere in Southampton at the moment)
Where's the viewing platform? Told you before this should be built at the end of a new pier at Weston Shore, then we could all get a good view (cos there is nowhere in Southampton at the moment) of the ocean liners coming and going.
You not local then? Tried viewing fron Weston Shore, Mayflower Park, Town Quay?
Bright Spark
says...
12:39am Tue 30 Sep 08
Weston Shore is hundreds of yards from the ships. Mayflower Park and Town Quay are up river from Ocean Terminal (normal berths for QM2 + QE2) so us punters need a pair of comecloserscopes to get a good view of them not sailing past. Go down to Port%$!ff and you can nearly touch the ships as they go by if you sit at the Round Tower or on the corner at the Still and West pub. ... and I'm from Southampton, very familiar with the waterfront. Can't get excited about Weston Shore as a viewing point as it is. Build a pier and viewing tower at the end of it (Spitfire Design).
H.R.H. KING MUSH
says...
7:22pm Wed 1 Oct 08
comment_6832765_full wrote:I know......I know......
Point is H.R.H. King Mush ... a lot of the Queens (excuse that expression) don't go past Mayflower Park. Usually they berth out of sight up at Ocean Terminal.
Actually it was M Lauder and he was referring to viewing the Spitfire FROM the ships as well as us landlubbers.
Alf
says...
4:02pm Thu 2 Oct 08
Duncan Disorderly wrote:Oh the one outside the airport which is sponsered by a Mercedes Garage!!!!
I hope it'll look better than that Airfix model on scaffold poles outside the airport
goard
says...
2:22pm Sat 15 Nov 08
goard
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The Spitfire memorial in situ, with the livery projected on to it.
Cllr Hannides with a model of the Spitfire
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