petera
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 88
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Post by petera on Dec 4, 2009 23:16:18 GMT 12
I just happened to be passing Trafalgar Square yesterday and thought you guys might like to see this magnificent bronze erected here last month. PeterA
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Post by corsair67 on Dec 4, 2009 23:26:34 GMT 12
Very nice photos, Peter - thank you for sharing them with us.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 5, 2009 8:03:57 GMT 12
Thanks Peter for those really nice photos.
Another memorial was erected to him on Tuesday, or should I say re-erected. The replica Hurricane at MOTAT was put back up on its plinth after its overhaul and repaint. I was lucky to be there and see the process in action.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Dec 5, 2009 8:29:15 GMT 12
Great photos, thanks Peter.
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Post by baz62 on Dec 5, 2009 18:23:21 GMT 12
Yes thanks Peter. Its a very nice statue, I like the personal touch of him pulling on his flying gloves.
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robbo
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 90
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Post by robbo on Dec 6, 2009 19:16:28 GMT 12
Peter, it's not bronze, it's fibreglass. This is a temporary statue, a smaller bronze statue will be erected in Waterloo Place in September next year.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 13, 2009 22:41:43 GMT 12
Here's an interesting fact, Keith Park was responsible for organising both the 1929 and 1930 RAF Hendon Air Pageants.
Apparently his father, Professor James Park, was the Dean of the University of Otago's mining faculty. I wonder if that still exists. I guess that explains why Keith was born in Thames but brought up in Otago, I suppose his father was working in the mine there in some capacity.
A piece I was just reading all this in was written in Contact magazine in June 1945, and it states that Sir Keith was promoted to Air Commodore in 1940. How did he jump up to Air Vice Marshal in a space of just a few months? Is that date misprinted?
It is also interesting he was just 47 at the time of the Battle of Britain, which to me seems younger than he looks in all the photos.
He also served before the war as the Aide-de-Camp to King George VI. I wonder if that held any influence in the later political arguments to have the king as your mate.
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Post by angelsonefive on Dec 14, 2009 11:22:38 GMT 12
Sir Keith's career path seems to have gone as follows :
Made Temporary Captain on 1 April, 1918, the day of the establishment of the RAF. Temp. Major on 9 April, 1918. Confirmed as Captain on 1 Jan. 1919. Flt-Lieutenant 1 August, 1919. (RAF equivalent of Captain.) Squadron-Leader on 1 Jan., 1921. Wing-Commander on 1 Jan., 1929. Group-Captain on 1 Jan., 1935. Acting Air-Commodore on 1 July, 1938. Acting Air Vice-Marshall on 4 March, 1940. Temp. Air Vice-Marshall on 1 July, 1940. Air Vice-Marshall on 14 April, 1942. Acting Air Marshall 14 Jan., 1944. Temp. Air Marshall on 16 August, 1944. Acting Air Chief-Marshall 1 August 1945 to 20 December, 1946. Retired as Air Chief- Marshall.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 14, 2009 12:41:52 GMT 12
Thanks. that makes more sense
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Post by ErrolC on May 14, 2010 23:52:55 GMT 12
via twitter.com/AirPowerHistory (see also his blog) www.times-series.co.uk/news/8163521.Statue_of_war_hero_takes_permanent_place_at_RAF_museum/Statue of war hero Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park takes permanent place at RAF museum near Colindale * By Kevin Bradford » THE “evocative” statue of an “inspirational” war hero has been relocated to a permanent base at the Royal Air Force Museum. The prominent depiction of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park arrived at the museum, in Grahame Park Way, earlier this week having stood for six months on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. The five metre high fibre glass statue of the First and Second World soldier and commander shows him putting on a glove while standing in flying uniform. It was commissioned by the Sir Keith Park Memorial Campaign to mark the key role the New Zealander played in defending Britain. He fought in the First World War at Gallipoli and then in the Somme, before joining the newly formed RAF. A the outbreak of the Second World War, he commanded the RAF 11 group fighter command, who bore the brunt of the Battle of Britain. Experts at the RAF museum said Sir Keith was credited by many for devising the strategies that led to the Luftwaffe’s defeat in the summer of 1940. Another hero who fought in the Battle of Britain, RAF pilot Douglas Bader, is once reported to have said: “The awesome responsibility for this country’s survival rested squarely on Keith Park’s shoulders.” The statue will be presented to museum visitors in the newly refurbished Battle of Britain Hall. Peter Dye, Director General of the Museum said: “The Royal Air Force Museum is particularly gratified to receive the donation of this statue from the Sir Keith Park Memorial Fund. “Given Sir Keith Park’s central role in the defeat of the Luftwaffe and his inspirational leadership throughout the summer of 1940, it is entirely appropriate, that this evocative and impressive sculpture takes pride of place in the heart of our Battle of Britain Exhibition - alongside the very aircraft that brought victory for the RAF.” The statue was fabricated from an original one metre-high statue which will be unveiled on September 15 at Waterloo Place, to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Barnet’s London Assembly member, Brian Coleman, welcomed the relocation of the statue having worked on the campaign for a permanent memorial. He said: “Trafalgar Square’s loss is Hendon’s gain. “Sir Keith Park was a brilliant air force tactician whose strategies during the Battle of Britain helped us beat off the Nazi threat. I am delighted that he is now remembered by this excellent statue at the Hendon RAF museum.”
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 15, 2010 1:04:18 GMT 12
Hmm, so their thoughts of bringing the plinth statue to New Zealand as a new home have been kyboshed then. Damn it. But at least it gets a prominent place in a decent museum I suppose. I'd have liked to see it in a prominent place in Auckland, like the statue of Bernard Freyberg is.
It is interesting to see that quote from Bader. I thought they were supposedly diametrically opposed in their thinking over battle strategies. Does this mean Bader actually admitted he was wrong?
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robbo
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 90
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Post by robbo on Jun 14, 2010 14:59:47 GMT 12
Here's the statue in its new location: And here's a bust of Sir Keith that's displayed in the same hall
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 14, 2010 17:15:22 GMT 12
Wow, very nice. Thanks for posting these Rob. That bust is very good, is it by the same sculptor as the full statue?
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Post by phas3e on Jun 27, 2010 18:32:56 GMT 12
On a random note The wife was just watching Ugly Betty and the Park Stature was in the background of a scene for a good 3-4 minutes
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