Sentinel (sculpture)

Author: Leandro Alegsa Creation date: November 13, 2022

Sentinel (grid reference SP13789065) is a 16m high sculpture by Tim Tolkien. It is on Spitfire Island, a roundabout at the intersection of the Chester Road and the A47 Fort Parkway at the entrance to the Castle Vale estate in Birmingham.

It is near Junction 5 of the M6 motorway and the Jaguar car factory. This used to be the Castle Bromwich aircraft factory. It shows three Spitfires peeling off up into the air in different directions. The half-scale Spitfires are made of aluminium, with curving steel supporting beams which act as vapour trails. It captures the dynamics of the Spitfire in flight and commemorates the nearby Castle Bromwich factory where most of Britain's wartime Spitfires were built.

Questions and Answers

Q: Who created the Sentinel sculpture?

A: The Sentinel sculpture was created by Tim Tolkien.

Q: Where is the Sentinel sculpture located?

A: The Sentinel sculpture is located on Spitfire Island, a roundabout at the intersection of the Chester Road and the A47 Fort Parkway at the entrance to the Castle Vale estate in Birmingham.

Q: What is the height of the Sentinel sculpture?

A: The Sentinel sculpture is 16m high.

Q: What is the significance of the Spitfires in the Sentinel sculpture?

A: The Sentinel sculpture shows three Spitfires peeling off up into the air in different directions and commemorates the nearby Castle Bromwich factory where most of Britain's wartime Spitfires were built.

Q: What materials were used to create the Spitfires in the Sentinel sculpture?

A: The half-scale Spitfires in the Sentinel sculpture are made of aluminium.

Q: What is the purpose of the curving steel supporting beams in the Sentinel sculpture?

A: The curving steel supporting beams in the Sentinel sculpture act as vapour trails for the Spitfires.

Q: What landmarks are near the Sentinel sculpture?

A: The Sentinel sculpture is near Junction 5 of the M6 motorway and the Jaguar car factory, both of which are located near the former Castle Bromwich aircraft factory.