The Sentinel, Spitfire Island

This is a modern monument to the contribution of the Birmingham area to the 2^nd World War, and in particular the Battle of Britain in 1940, when a small army of fighter pilots in Spitfire aircraft fought an aerial battle against an advancing German army and, against considerable odds, managed to prevail. The Spitfire aircraft were produced just down the road from this spot, so it’s fitting that, as you leave the motorway network to enter Birmingham proper (this is at the gateway to North Birmingham) you pass through a roundabout (also pretty fitting for Birmingham!) housing this impressive iron structure describing the flight of three Spitfires. It’s best viewed at dusk, I think, when the dark iron outline of the planes is set against a moody sky. Inspiring stuff!

As you approach Spitfire Island, Birmingham’s proud industrial heritage sprouts from the ground in this imposing structure, marking the place where spitfires were once mass-​produced in World War II.
This structure is pure Birmingham. Made from welded steel this is the city at its rawest, transforming one of its most famous products into a striking work of art. Three metallic spitfires cross each other in formation, pointing off to the forgotten airfields of a once war torn England. Unpainted, and therefore stripped of their trademark camouflage, the planes become so much more than a nostalgic icon lazily represented on canvass.
In naked form the flying machines force the viewer to look behind the iconic veneer, pondering the toil and engineering prowess that went into one of Britain’s greatest mechanical achievements. Look and remember the nuts and bolts of it, and how the people of Birmingham helped change the course of history.

On the way to Castle Vale and the Fort, you can’t miss this metal structure. It stands tall above the landscape near the Jaguar Factory, and was designed by Tim Tolkien, who is J.R.R. Tolkien’s great-​nephew. (So talent really does run in the family!)
The Sentinel is more commonly known as Spitfire Island and has three fighter planes with vapour trails leading out of them. The creation has become a landmark to this area of Birmingham, and was built in 1997 as part of a Castle Vale regeneration programme. I really like the design, however, I do think the aluminium material that it has been crafted out of is a little dull and dark. But I guess it does reflect the remaining industrial surroundings of Birmingham’s past. Although, it’d be nice to view something a little more aesthetically brighter to improve the mood of pedestrians, who are already dampened by Birmingham’s grey skies, let alone a grey structure.
Most of the world war Supermarine Spitfires were built in a factory nearby, so all in all, this sculpture pays a great homage to the importance of Birmingham during this time.