NEWS
August 2019
An intrepid group of pilots and crew are making a Round the World tour flying a Silver Spitfire beginning in August and John Magee will be flying with them. A small statuette of John Magee provided by the Foundation will accompany the flight to be displayed at the various stops along the way.
To follow this exciting trip and for further details please visit https://www.silverspitfire.com/
July 2019 Progress with the memorial statue
The work to complete the statue continues slowly. This image shows the 1.5 life-size enlargement of the head and shoulders ready for sculptor Antony Dufort to model with clay and complete the detail. The statue will be made in three or four sections for the bronze casting. The enlargements are made by laser scanning the small maquette models of the bust and torso and using a computer controlled milling process to carve the figure in solid foam as a base for final modelling.
Our fundraising is progressing more slowly than we had hoped but we will move forward as funds allow. Most of the donations so far have come from the UK but with our continued outreach we are hopeful of attracting some corporate interest from the USA and Canada.
December 2018 Nanjing China
The Nanjing Memorial Hall is holding an exhibition to celebrate the life and work of John Magee Sr., father of John Magee Jr.
The exhibition tells the story of John Magee Sr's efforts to save refugees and film atrocities during the Nanjing Massacre in December 1937 to January 1938.
The Foundation has loaned a maquette of John Jr. to the exhibition which is shown here with Christopher Magee, the nephew of John Magee Jr.
November 2018
Chief of Air Staff, Sir Stephen Hillier views the new maquette of John Magee Jr. during a visit to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
The photograph is Crown Copyright 2018.
November 2018
The Foundation presented a maquette of John Magee Jr. to his brother Canon F. Hugh Magee
Canon Magee became a Patron of the Memorial Project at the inception but sadly passed away peacefully in 2019
20th July 2018
The maquette model of the memorial statue has now been received. It took considerable work for sculptor Antony Dufort to fully research the intricate details of all the kit worn by pilot John Magee Jr. in his 1941 uniform to ensure that the statue will depict how he would have appeared in Wellingore in December 1941.
With the maquette available, the fund raising campaign is now in full swing with the addition of commemorative items for sale from the John Magee Jr. Collection
with models of both the maquette and the bust.
The new maquette is now being displayed and shown to our prospective donors.
We remain hopeful of raising the initial funds of £120,000 in 2018 to allow placement of the order for the final bronze statue and the opening of the memorial in 2019.
1st November 2017
North Kesteven District Council has granted Planning Permission for the erection of the statue in the Millfield Park.
To view the application visit http://planningonline.n-kesteven.gov.uk/online-applications/ and enter Application reference 17/1263/FUL.
North Kesteven District Council has granted Planning Permission for the erection of the statue in the Millfield Park.
To view the application visit http://planningonline.n-kesteven.gov.uk/online-applications/ and enter Application reference 17/1263/FUL.
3rd August 2017
Members of the Foundation project team exhibited the bust of John Magee and discussed the project at a press briefing for the upcoming Scampton Airshow which takes place on 9/10th September.
This was the first showing of the bust in Lincolnshire.
View Press Article
Members of the Foundation project team exhibited the bust of John Magee and discussed the project at a press briefing for the upcoming Scampton Airshow which takes place on 9/10th September.
This was the first showing of the bust in Lincolnshire.
View Press Article
Antony Dufort
19th July 2017
The Project Team visited the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford with sculptor Antony Duford on Sunday 16th July
We were able to display the new bust of John Magee Jr. to many visitors including Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier RAF, General David L. Goldfein Chief of Staff USAF and Major General Tammy Harris Deputy Commander RCAF. The press coverage included interviews with the three chiefs who spoke of the significance of the project as a symbol of the close cooperation between the three air forces and of the shared regard for John Magee's poetry. Carol Vorderman MBE, one of our Patrons, also joined us and was thrilled by the statue.
Video of the interviews with the three chiefs of staff, with Foundation Chairman Richard Overton and with sculptor Antony Dufort plus a reading of High Flight by RAF and USAF pilots.
A Press Release was issued and the Project Prospectus
Below are some photos from the show.
The Project Team visited the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford with sculptor Antony Duford on Sunday 16th July
We were able to display the new bust of John Magee Jr. to many visitors including Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier RAF, General David L. Goldfein Chief of Staff USAF and Major General Tammy Harris Deputy Commander RCAF. The press coverage included interviews with the three chiefs who spoke of the significance of the project as a symbol of the close cooperation between the three air forces and of the shared regard for John Magee's poetry. Carol Vorderman MBE, one of our Patrons, also joined us and was thrilled by the statue.
Video of the interviews with the three chiefs of staff, with Foundation Chairman Richard Overton and with sculptor Antony Dufort plus a reading of High Flight by RAF and USAF pilots.
A Press Release was issued and the Project Prospectus
Below are some photos from the show.
The three chiefs of Air Staff view the new bust of John Magee Jr.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier RAF, Major General Tammy Harris, Deputy Commander RCAF and General David L. Goldfein USAF Chief of Staff with the bust of John Magee.
Project Patron Carol Vorderman MBE
Carol Vorderman is a Patron of the Memorial Project as an Hnr. Group Captain and Ambassador for the RAF Cadet Force
The Air Force Chiefs with Sculptor Antony Dufort
Foundation Chairman Richard Overton
Carol Vorderman with Steph McGovern and Carol Kirkwood from BBC Breakfast News
June 2017
Local volunteers from Lincolnshire Coop and elsewhere spent a day helping to clear brush and tidy up the memorial park. See the News Story
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