HG Carving the central Pilot for the Battle of Britain monument
Side view of the finished sculpture
Detail showing the David Crowe carving the Squadron badges
Arial view with modern versions of the Spitfire !
BATTLE OF BRITAIN MONUMENT
In a limited competition Harry Gray and Jamie Buchanan’s design was chosen to be the National monument to one of the pivotal battles in Britain’s History.
In a deliberate break with the tradition of many war monuments of the past, Harry Gray chose a seated lone figure in a pose that is contemplative rather than triumphant and without visible rank. The viewer is invited to engage with the figure and imagine their own interpretation.
Jamie Buchanan’s imaginative concept was to centre the figure within a giant spitfire propeller cut from the famous white cliffs near Dover. This provides both a link to earlier English chalk art such as the white horse at Uffington and is a permanent striking land mark that will be visible to generations of future pilots.