A landmark sculpture — billed as the Midlands’ answer to the Angel of the North — is nearing completion thanks to a dedicated team of engineers.
The On Freedom’s Wings project will see a full-scale sculpture of a Lancaster Bomber erected on the border of Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to mark the historic link that the counties shared with RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War.
Organised by the Bomber County Gateway Trust, once complete the sculpture will stand at 29m tall, weighing approximately 100 tonnes.
Timmins Engineering and Construction’s design manager, Luke Handford, helped design the On Freedom’s Wings’ sculpture
The team at Timmins Engineering and Construction Ltd have been responsible for bringing the vision to life in their Lincolnshire-based workshop, offering their services almost entirely free of charge.
Timmins’ design manager, Luke Handford, said: “Seeing it from the initial stages to where it is now is incredible.
“We thought our part was done when the substructure was complete, but we’ve really pushed ourselves as an engineering firm to create something beautiful and aerodynamic
“After all, our bread and butter is buildings, not World War Two bombers.”
He added: “Everything about this is massive, and it’s been an incredible achievement from everyone involved.
“I’m incredibly proud of all the work that have gone into it — it’s a definite career high, and probably the best thing we will ever create as individuals or as a company.
“This is the final push now and we’re looking forward to the moment when we can finally take it to the site, put our name on it and say ‘we did that’.
“We’ve done something for the county and the country as a whole that people will look at and admire for generations to come.”
A 3D model of what the ‘On Freedom’s Wings’ Lancaster bomber sculpture will look like on its support struts. Photo submitted: Timmins Engineering and Construction.Support beams for the On Freedom’s Wings memorialMain fuselage of the ‘On Freedom’s Wings’ Lancaster bomber sculpture showing where the completed wings will be bolted into place. Photo: Newark Advertiser.
The sculpture is made up of two parts — the internal structure providing strength, and the exterior shell which gives the Lancaster its iconic shape.
A ribbed design has been chosen to allow air to flow through the sculpture once it is in place on the Norton Disney hillside, visible from the A46.
Over time the shiny steel shell will weather with the elements, taking on an oxidised finish.
Workshop manager Adrian Crosby has been leading on the main fabrication work, which has almost entirely been done voluntarily between the firm’s other paid work.
He said: “I can quite confidently say that I have experienced every emotion known to man working on this project.
Part of the tail section of the ‘On Freedom’s Wings’ Lancaster bomber sculpture. Photo: Newark Advertiser.Rear fuselage of the ‘On Freedom’s Wings’ Lancaster bomber sculpture. Photo: Newark Advertiser.
“At first it felt a bit overwhelming, but we were excited to get started, then it was nerve-wracking as we assembled it for the first time, and relieved that it all fit together.
“It has certainly been a challenge, with a lot of head scratching trying to make it work.
“But after years of work, this is the nice bit now — ribbing it and giving it shape, we’re starting to get a lot of ‘wows’.
“It changes from every angle you look at it, and once it’s up there [on the supports] it will almost look like its flying.
“We’ve put a lot of free labour into this, with people giving up their spare time and coming in on weekends.
“I’m really proud to have been involved because this is an opportunity that won’t come along again.”
The team is now working flat out to finish the rib work, with hopes that the sculpture can be lifted onto its support struts in September — weather permitting.