Hobbs Army Air Field B-17 Project
"Fortress on the Plains"
by Brian Norwood
Installation of "Fortress on the Plains" at
Hobbs Industrial Air Park is now complete.
Congratulations to the artist, Brian Norwood on
a successful conclusion to many, many months of hard work!
The reverse of the sculpture showing the heavy steel framework
required to support it.
|
A life-size metal silhouette honoring the men, women and aircraft of World War II, the sculpture shown in the artist's conception above depicts the world famous Boeing B-17 “Flying Fortress” along with support personnel, air and ground crews. This one-of-a-kind aviation sculpture by Lea County artist Brian Norwood has been installed at the Hobbs Industrial Air Park in Hobbs, New Mexico—site of the former Hobbs Army Air Field. From 1942 to 1946, HAAF served as a transitional training base where pilots learned to fly four-engine bombers, chief among them the B-17. The sculpture stands 19
feet tall, and stretches for more than 81 feet from end to end.
For more information, contact Brian
Norwood
at bgnorwood75@valornet.com
or
by calling (505) 441-7391. Brian is the creator of The
Trail Ahead, the Jal Cowboy Sculpture Project.
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| Progress
on the site installation of "Fortress on the Plains" is shown below, as
it began to take shape on August 8, 2008. The silhouettes in the
photo below may look like people working on the installation, but they
are actually part of the sculpture itself, symbolizing the hundreds of
men and women who worked together at Hobbs Army Air Field during its
heyday. |
With the backhoe holding the 4,000 pound piece of metal in place
work begins to attach it to the frame at the installation site.
Above, the large metal piece representing the fuselage of the B-17
is loaded onto a trailer for transport to the site.
The frame that supports the sculpture is made of 6-inch square tubing.
| Artist
Brian Norwood is shown below at work on "Fortress on the Plains".
The size of the sculpture requires the work to be done inside an
airplane hangar. He begins with massive sheets of quarter-inch
thick steel measuring 10 feet by 40 feet and weighing 4,800
pounds. With the shapes that comprise the plane and people
complete, he is ready to begin construction on the supporting framework. |
Thank you to Brian and to all who have supported his project for
honoring our World War II veterans!
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