Having been at the hub of model-making and design for over 10 years – and with a wealth of customers that included Bristol zoo, the Museum of London and the Discovery Channel, to name but a few – Tony Hitchcock was now being asked to build a replica Spitfire as a feature and play area for a children’s garden in Ibiza.
The Spitfire is 5m long, with a 5.5m wingspan, and, due to its size, the build had to be moved from the design studio to a garage, where it was completed. “It was a bit like building an enormous Airfix, but on a much larger scale,” confesses Hitchcock.
With a huge selection of aluminium, steel and stainless steel heavy-duty slides and linear rail motion systems to choose from, he contacted Chambrelan, manufacturers of telescopic slides and linear rails. By working together, they quickly identified the D500 three beam slide as the best option for the Spitfire. The D500 is a light, but very able, telescopic aluminium slide, capable of delivering 77kg per pair at a 350mm extension. Moreover, the D500 has a silent and smooth-handling operation, best suited for medium loads that require manual operation, such as boat covers, sliding guards, key board trays – and, of course, Spitfire cockpits.
“It also flies,” Hitchcock adds. “During our second installation, a storm hit the island. I remember watching with a mixture of horror and pride as all our hard work suddenly lifted off the ground and flew over a 3 metre wall, before covering 50 metres. Thankfully, it landed pretty well and we were able to fix the few scratches.”
