Welcome to the Bronze
Spitfire Tribute site
History
In the late 1990s I ran a foundry and a talented sculptor knocked on my door with a handful of very detailed fine art bronze castings he had made and asked if I would be interested in retaining him for a personal project. After much discussion I retained him to create an accurate sculpture of a Spitfire MK 14c – and so the project started.
After almost two years the wax body was finished and the sculptor went aboard for a well deserved break. Unfortunately these were the hottest two weeks of the year and on his return the wax had entirely ‘wilted’ and lost all its form!
However, I had become determined to have a Spitfire cast in bronze. Another sculptor was retained but a fire in a foundry we’d planned to use put and end to that hope.
During the next 4 years the project went to 2 other studios associated with other foundries only for a succession of fire and flood providing ongoing setbacks!
It seemed at times that the project was doomed to never get off the ground…
But I was eventually introduced to the remarkable sculptor Stephen Allen.
About
After more than 25 years in design and development we are now able to share with the public the stunning beauty and world-class craftsmanship of our Spitfire Tribute Sculpture.
There will be just ten made available for the UK market and ten for the US and world markets.
Two more will be cast for museums – one on each side of the Atlantic. No more will be made.
1944
Spitfire Mk X1Vc was manufactured in Eastleigh, Hants. It had enhanced performance to enable it to use the newer high-octane fuels which added to the speed and effective operating heights. This was essential for use in hunting and intercepting the V1 flying bombs en route to London.
The aircraft was numbered RB-188 and entered service with 91 Squadron based at West Malling Kent.
1998
The Spitfire Sculpture project was conceived and started.
FLYING OFFICER KEN COLLIER RAAF (1920-1944)
Kenneth Roy Collier was born in Glebe, an inner western suburb of Sydney, Australia, in 1920.
2007
Determination – The Sculptor
After setbacks of many years we were recommended to Stephen Allen*, a highly acclaimed and award-winning sculptor in Yorkshire. After much consideration Stephen agreed to take the project on. An initial assessment was made and much of the work was not accurate, with wing angles and relative dimensions incorrect. Stephen carried out extensive referencing on a Mk14c Spitfire and in essence suggested that we start from scratch. Along with many other recommendations we agreed to proceed and include a fully-detailed pilot and cockpit with unprecedented detailing. Over a very lengthy period, the wax form took shape and when finally revealed the work was breathtaking. Every detail in the cockpit was visible, including all the dials on the dash, the wrinkles in the leather gloves and flying helmet and the joined flat glass in the pilot’s goggles. *Stephen is an award-winning sculptor famous for his bronze of the Flying Scotsman. He has a great array of acclaim and awards and is a member of the Goldsmiths Guild of Craftsman and Design.2011
The Stand and Mounting
The Spitfire is supplied with a cross based as standard.
Patina
Each owner can select their preferred patinated finish. Almost anything can be selected in combination with polished highlights if required.
2024
After a remarkably long story from the origination of the Spitfire Tribute Sculpture, with many ‘bumps’ and delays along the way, we decided to produce a very limited run of ten bronze Spitfires for the UK and the same number for the rest of the world.
We have decided to allocate one extra Spitfire each for museums in the UK and US. Whichever museums receives the most votes – on the basis of one vote for each £1/$1 donated on the crowdfund page – will receive the sculpture: here for the UK and here for the USA. (A minimum amount must be raised)
Where to See the Sculpture
Parties interested in buying a Spitfire can make arrangements to view No’s 1 and 2. Nr Eastbourne, East Sussex by emailing bronzespitfire@outlook.com.
To see the vast amount of work and read Flight Captain Ken Colliers story, you are invited to visit our fundraising page. Decide which of your favourite air museums you would like to see the sculpture in (one in the UK and one in the USA). You get one vote for every £1 or $1 donated.
At the conclusion of the fundraising, the top two museums with the most votes will each receive one of our wonderful Spitfires where they will be available for all to see (as long as a minimum amount is donated).
Donate
Gallery
