Here’s something you don’t see every day. A full size model (FSM) replica of the iconic German Blitzkrieg too the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bomber. Here in the sculpture garden of Burghley House, in the UK.

As reported recently in Militaria & History, it ‘is called Down Two Earth and is an 11m long replica of a WWII Junkers Ju-87. It’s made entirely from stainless steel by German sculptor Hex, whose father served in the Luftwaffe in WWII and spent three years training to be a Stuka pilot but ended up being a gunner. He regularly bestowed scale model Stukas on his son who remarked that the Stuka was the only single object he really loved. Hex described his motivation in making the giant sculpture, “The whole project can be separated into three layers of reasons why I did this sculpture. These layers of private family history, German art history and British military history added up one by one over the years.”

‘With a wingspan of 14m and positioned so that it looks like it has crash landed in the gardens, it’s an eye-catching exhibit.’

We’ll be returning to the Stuka as an art and design icon in future posts this year.

James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer.

Thanks to Andy Saunders for the tip.