With 2018 being the final year of the 100 Year Centennial Commemorations for The Great War 1914 – 1918 our staff and apprentices at SETA were only too happy to pay our respects and help make a statement piece for this special year, by producing a tribute model of a World War 1 S.E.5 Bi-Plane, arguably the most famous British Scout Aeroplane of WW1!
SETA first got involved with the Centennial Commemorations back in 2015 when Sheila Robins from the Friends of Stockport Cemeteries group approached us and asked if we could help them out. They asked if we could construct a memorial for the Centennial Memorial Parade for the British Army Cadets and the Royal British Legion. We of course said yes, and the WW1 Mark 1 (female) Tank was constructed for the 100 years of the Tank memorial parade.
The WW1 Bi-Plane is the follow up to the WW1 Tank and marks the centennial year of the Aeroplane during World War 1. The wonderful tribute to the Bi-Plane, with an 8ft wingspan, was constructed from mild steel and aluminium by a team of young engineering apprentices from Stockport Engineering Training Academy in Reddish. The young engineers ranged from 16 to 20 years of age, around a similar age to many that perished during the war.
Mark Neild (Internal Operations Director) said,” It has been a remarkable cause and we are so grateful to have been given the opportunity to take part in these Centennial Memorials, it is so important for us to be able to pass on the information, whether it be about engineering advances or of the men who operated these war machines and to help support and pass on the respect for our British values and the legacy of these heroic men and women”.
The aeroplane was used by the Friends of Stockport Cemeteries in the Willow Grove Cemetery (Central Drive, Reddish), in the Centennial Memorial Parade on Saturday 10th November.
See link for line up of the day: http://www.friendsofstockportcemeteries.co.uk/#/blank-page/4593010189
The plane will be transported back to SETA until the official presentation to the Reddish Army Cadets early in the new year when it will then join the Tank in permanent public position with the Army Cadets at their base in Reddish.
With much thanks to our welding instructor, Andrew Moore and our First Year Engineering Apprentices, Tyler Hannan and Jackson Baker from Street Crane, Scott Hipwell from Swizzels Matlow, George Wood from S&G Engineering and Ellis Millington (SETA), for helping to construct the Bi-Plane.
A massive thank you goes out to Steve and staff at APC Powder Coating Manchester for powder coating the Bi-Plane.
Scott Hipwell (Swizzels Matlow Apprentice) With Plane
Rear In Situ
Propellor
Powdercoated
Poppies and Plane
Plane 1
In Situ
IMG_0745
Mayor wreath
Piper
Decoration 2
Decorating
Band
