Sneak a peak at the newest big thing in Market Common ahead of next weeks opening

Under the watchful supervision of artist, Tuck Langland, a bronze sculpture of a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter, spiraling skyward, was carefully lifted into place at the new World War II Memorial at Warbirds Park on Friday.

Langland said the idea for his sculpture came from imagining a fighter pilot in training taking off on his first solo flight, before the reality of Pacific air battles.

“That was the idea, to show that besides the anger and danger of war, the seriousness of war, there is also great joy in flying,” he said, “I wanted to put that little bit of joy in here.”

The sculpture, titled “Up, Up and Away,” is the centerpiece and one of the finishing touches that city leaders are putting on the new World War II Memorial that will be formally dedicated at War Bird’s Park next Tuesday, November 9th. Former Myrtle Beach mayor and World War II veteran Bob Hirsch will be a guest speaker at the noon ceremony.

Langland, who is from Indiana, has sculpted many monument sized bronzes displayed around the country. His work is also featured at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, S.C.

The Myrtle Beach Air Force Base was established as a training base in World War II and served as base for tactical fighter planes through many conflicts until it was decommissioned in 1993.

War Birds Park, set near what was once the “front gate” of the base along Farrow Parkway, features many displays of planes, memorial plaques and remembrances to honor the men and women that served at the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base.