Southampton's National Spitfire Project..

The National Spitfire Project

Concept for final sculpture for the National Spitfire Memorial

'The National Spitfire Project has come together to fundraise and build the National Spitfire Monument in Southampton. We aim to embody the spirit of the Spitfire in the dramatic design by Nick Hancock and honour all those who sacrificed so much to design, build and operate the Spitfire in Britain’s darkest days in defence of world-wide democracy and freedom. This breathtaking monument will be a true beacon of inspiration, innovation and hope for generations to come.

We are continually developing this website as the project progresses. Please donate generously using the link below or contact us to see how you can help.'

Solent Sky Museum

Contact

National Spitfire Project

Gordon Bee - Project Coordinator Basepoint Centre, Andersons Road, Southampton, SO14 5FE, UK
enquiries@nationalspitfireproject.org 023 8063 5830

The Spitfire, Beer and the Normandy Landings..

The specially modifies Spits, after the Normandy Landings, taking beer to the troops

Barrels were attached like bombs

and gingerly decanted at the other side and marked with a tripple X

and you can make the model, how sweet..

'Never Was So Much Owed By So Many To So Few:' Winston Churchill

Were the Polish Fighters the best pilots in the Battle of Britain?

'..and no Polish chit chat!'

The average age of an RAF pilot in 1940 was about 20 years. Some were as young as 18 and there were others over 30. In those days, with the age of majority set at 21, many of the RAF’s Battle of Britain pilots were not old enough to vote but not too young to lay down their lives in the face of a life and death struggle to save Britain from coming under the tyranny of the Nazis.

Not all were British – in fact Fighter Command was a cosmopolitan mix. There were Poles (141), Czechs (87), Belgians (24) and Free French (13) who swelled the ranks along with those from the British Commonwealth and other nations who answered the call for pilots wanting to defend freedom.

Roughly two-thirds of the 3,000 or so RAF pilots who flew in the Battle of Britain were officers, the other third being sergeant and flight sergeant pilots.

In 1940 a pilot officer could expect to earn £264 per annum, roughly equivalent to just over £30,000 in today’s money, and non-commissioned officers quite a bit less, despite facing the same dangers: both received an allowance (flying pay) recognising their aircrew status. In addition their numbers were beefed up with pilots from the Auxiliary Air Force (AAF) – made up those from the largely middle and upper classes who trained at weekend (hence they earned the nickname “weekend warriors”), who provided a civilian pool of extra capability during emergencies.

Frome Spits ready for take off at lastyears Frome Carnival 2014...

Frome Carnival, Frome Spits are ready for take off at 1.10 timeframe on the video above, blink and you'll miss us...

This year we shall have more pilots and engineers with more modifed 'planes'...

How Frome bought a Spitfire...

Frome and its part in Hitler's Downfall...

Frome's very own Spitfire R7200 Mark One with Frome District emblazoned in four inch high yellow letters on its fuselage

In six weeks the people of Frome raised £5,235 and were able to purchase a Spitfire no R7200 Mark One with Frome District emblazoned in four inch high yellow letters on its fuselage.

The Frome and District Spitfire fund was launched on August 30, 1940 with the sum of £880 already promised and the stirring words "Spitfire from Frome spell Hitler's doom".

On October 18th was announced that Frome people had donated enough money to buy a Spitfire in less than six weeks.

The notice said: "This wonderful achievement speaks well for the enthusiasm of the organisers of the fund, and also for the public spiritedness and generosity of the people of Frome and District."

Read more: http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/spitfire-Frome-spelt-Hitler-s-doom-1940/story-12337712-detail/story.html#ixzz3dvTrIgGt 

'Germany calling, Germany calling...' the classic film: 'Spitfire' starring Leslie Howard and David Niven..watch it here!