Hi there. I’m not sure if anyone can help here.
My names Mark and i’m a engineering design lecturer at Solihull College & University Centre in the Midlands.
Our Aerospace Engineering campus is based about a mile and a half from Castle Bromwich where around 12,500 of the 20,000 spitfires were built, plus a good few Lancaster’s too. 15,000 workers, 7000 of which were women.
I’ve been working on a display to celebrate / commemorate those who worked on her in WW2 and I hope it will be part of a permanent exhibition, inspirational to our young students and visitors to the campus.
I ultimately would like us to hang a display of three spitfire variants (mk2/5&9) in our large atrium as people walk in (Duxford style).
I’ve been working on the display as much as my teaching and parenting commitment allows, but it’s not going as fast as I would have liked, hence I’m on the look out for any large scale spitfires that might be being decommissioned.
I live a couple of miles away from Kingfisher Aviation (in Earlswood) and Paul there has been keeping a look out. I don’t need engines, just the body really.
I am initially am just looking for a 1/6th scale (maybe a Mick Reeves or similar) to use my 1/6th RAF Pilots on which are sitting on my office desk next to Airfix & Revell model
s, but would always be appreciative if anyone lets me know of larger models 1:5 / 1:4 or bigger even, if they exist coming up.
As I said, would be appreciative of any help. If you know anyone who may one sitting in their garage or any sales that might be coming up that you may think I’d be interested in, let me know.
I hope for the future to get some sort of club set up, for our youngsters to get into building and maybe flying models (with hopefully Paul’s help). It would be great for the students to do more hands on work away from the theory they cover.
My Uncle was an WW2 RAF Pilot so the project as much as it is about the people that built the spitfire, is also is about acknowledging the young ATAs and Pilots who would be the age of many of our students had times been different.
I’ve attached some pics below of my vision and work with the display so far.
Many thanks ... Mark
