Full sized replica Hurricane Fighter, in Sir Keith Park's personalised Battle of Britain colours at Thames Airfield. Photo / Supplied
Full sized replica Hurricane Fighter, in Sir Keith Park's personalised Battle of Britain colours at Thames Airfield. Photo / Supplied
Factbox: Battle of Britain: July 10-October 31, 1940 1250 aircraft, including 1017 fighters were lost. 520 men were killed serving with Fighter Command. There were more than 700 Bomber Command fatalities. Another 200 men were killed flying with Coastal Command. In all, 57 New Zealand airmen died during the battle. The Battle of Britain tribute day isconsidered to be September 15, when in 1940 a large-scale aerial battle took place
This year's plans to commemorate the Battle of Britain in Thames and honour local war hero Sir Keith Park have been thwarted.
The decision has been made by Sir Keith Park Memorial Airfield Inc to postpone commemorative events — which were to be held on September 11-12 — for a year due to Covid-19 uncertainties.
Last year, Battle of Britain commemorations in Thames were well attended and a roaring success, which saw the unveiling of a replica of Sir Keith's Hurricane fighter plane which led the Royal Air Force to victory in the Battle of Britain. The day had culminated in a flypast by a Supermarine Spitfire and a Bristol F2B World War I fighter.
The Sir Keith Park Memorial Airfield Inc had raised the near $200,000 to build the plane and have it shipped from Britain.
This year's events were to include a military vehicle display, wreath-laying event and cocktail party in Thames.
There were plans to display a model of the statue of Sir Keith which will be erected beneath the Hurricane fighter at Thames Airfield.
Sir Keith Park Memorial Airfield Inc president Geoff Furkert says it's a real blow for them as they had hoped to focus attention on the statue, which will complete the Sir Keith Park memorial.
The 2.3m bronze statue is being sculpted by Helensville sculptor Joanne Sullivan, but funds are required to finish the project. Joanne is the artist behind the sculptures of Phar Lap in Timaru and John Walker in Auckland.
A 3D printed model of the statue of Sir Keith Park which will be erected underneath the Hurricane memorial to complete the Sir Keith Park Memorial at Thames Airfield.
Geoff says Joanne imported replica military uniforms from the United Kingdom to ensure the statue attire is correct, and it will include images of Sir Keith's military decorations.
Sir Keith was credited as being one of the greatest commanders in the history of aerial warfare after defending London and southeast England in 1940 against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force.
He was a World War I flying ace in his Bristol F2B and a Royal Air Force operational commander in World War II.
Sir Keith died in 1975, aged 82.
He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Bath. A memorial statue of Sir Keith stands in Trafalgar Square.
He also served three terms on the Auckland City Council after the war and one of his major achievements as chairman of the Auckland Airport committee was to persuade the Government to purchase land at Mangere for what is now Auckland International Airport.
Geoff says commemorations for the Battle of Britain "not only recognise the achievements of Sir Keith through the Battle of Britain, but also the pilots, ground crews, engineers, nurses, caterers and other support staff, without whom this success would not have been possible".
