A well-known aircraft is getting set to take off from its home in Waterloo Region, not at the local airport, but rather from K-W Surplus.
The iconic Spitfire, which has sat atop the local business for years, is set to be moved from the location at 666 Victoria St. N.
“Our Spitfire airplane has been cleared for takeoff,” said K-W Surplus in a post to social media. “It will be flying to a new home at the Memorial Garden at Tillsonburg Airport. ”
“K-W Surplus owner Ray Whittemore has sold the business and is generously donating the Spitfire replica to the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association (CHAA), of which Whittemore is an active member,” CHAA said in a statement sent to FM 98.5.
“Based at the Tillsonburg Regional Airport, the CHAA will design and construct a new Memorial Garden on the airport grounds, giving the model Spitfire a new home atop a new pedestal.”
It said it will be placed in the new Memorial Garden, which will act as a tribute to the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), the Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP).
CHAA also said the Memorial Garden will honour two of its past presidents, Former Second World War Royal Canadian Air Force Flight Lieutenant Charley Fox, as well as Canadian Astronaut Bjarni Tryggvason.
“After arriving at CHAA, the Spitfire replica will first be examined for necessary repairs, and when completed, repainted to resemble the colours flown by Charley Fox during wartime,” said CHAA.
The association said it’s looking to recoup the expenses needed for the removal and transportation of the model aircraft, its repair and repainting, as well as the design and creation of the Memorial Garden through donations.
K-W Surplus said it will be holding a send-off event for the aircraft on Monday, Apr. 20, at 8 a.m., with a rain date of Tuesday, Apr. 21.
“If you wish to bid it farewell and safe journeys, or take a picture of it before it departs, feel free to stop by.”
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