Testing for what will be the largest steel sculpture in the world is underway as Southampton prepares to welcome the monument.

The National Spitfire Project (NSP) is currently putting their Spitfire monument through its paces at the RWDI Wind Tunnel in Canada – the same facility that tested the world’s tallest structure the Burj Khalifa.

The tribute Spitfire is set to be displayed in Mayflower Park and will be 131ft tall - just 20ft short of the height of the Statue of Liberty.

NSP’s steel structure is undergoing aeroelastic testing on a model one 40th of the size of the final monument.

This means that it is being hit with wind speeds of over 110 miles per hour to see how it will hold up against gusts that it could encounter during its life.

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A spokesperson for the National Spitfire Project said: “The original theoretical force modelling was carried out by our friends at the University of Southampton; however, it is important to understand how the structure oscillates and moves in the real-world gusty winds.

“We have just completed two weeks of structural testing, and once the results have been analysed then our partners from Motioneering will design and test the damping system we will need to install to reduce any movement.  This will lead to another week’s testing in the tunnel.”

A mock-up of how the final National Spitfire Monument will look.A mock-up of how the final National Spitfire Monument will look. (Image: National Spitfire Project) This is the final design for the Spitfire, and once testing is complete, RWDI will ship the full-size model to Southampton.

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Structural engineer Dan Blower is out in Canada to supervise testing on the project’s behalf.

When complete, the spitfire will overtake the Yaun-Dao Guanyin Temple in Taipei as the world’s largest steel sculpture.

Speaking previously to the Echo, NSP chairman John Hannides said: “The National Spitfire Project is set to inspire countless visitors and future generations, celebrating not only a storied aircraft but the spirit of innovation, dedication, and courage it represents."

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak previously backed the project when he was Chancellor in 2020 and Southampton City Council has already contributed more than £100,000 to the £6m project.