First Look at National Spitfire Monument Coming to Southampton Airport
On Battle of Britain Day, the Trustees of the National Spitfire Project announced that a model of the proposed monument will be displayed at Southampton Airport, giving thousands of passengers and visitors the chance to see the striking design up close.
The National Spitfire Monument, planned for Mayflower Park in Southampton, will be the tallest stainless-steel monument in the world. Designed and built in the city where the iconic aircraft first took shape, it will commemorate not only the Spitfire itself, but also the thousands of men and women who built, flew and maintained it, and the communities who endured great hardship to make its success possible.
The full monument will consist of a stainless-steel Spitfire one and a half times the size of the original aircraft, soaring 40 metres into the sky over Southampton Water — taller than Nelson’s Column.
John Hannides, Chair of Trustees of the National Spitfire Project, said:
“This monument is about more than commemorating an iconic aircraft – it is about ensuring that the extraordinary men and women who built, flew and supported the Spitfire are never forgotten. Southampton gave the world a symbol of hope and courage. Now, with this landmark, we will give future generations a place to reflect, to be inspired, and to take pride in what our city achieved in its darkest hour.”
The model’s arrival follows rigorous design and testing of the monument at the world-class RWDI wind tunnel in Canada — the same facility used to test the Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure in the world. Its display at Southampton Airport will provide a first glimpse of the project for the public, ahead of the creation of the permanent structure.
More than a memorial, the National Spitfire Monument will be a place of pride, reflection and inspiration — honouring the past while inspiring future generations.