A GIANT replica of the Hawker Typhoon aircraft, which hopes to be the largest ever built, is being created at this year’s Chalke Valley History Festival.

It will mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the liberation of France this June.

The aircraft, which was known as Tiffy, will be perched on the crest of the hill in Broad Chalke and will be three times the size of the original.

With a wingspan of 25 metres, and a length of 18 metres, the installation will be similar in size to a 100-seater passenger jet.

The scale replica will be built in partnership with QinetiQ and the Ministry of Defence Boscombe Down Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics team.

This will be the largest model Second World War fighter plane ever built.

The construction will be overseen by QinetiQ engineers with much of the work being carried out as a special project by the company’s apprentices who will be working alongside universities, colleges and schools.

Local children, years 6 and above, will be helping to paint sections of the plane, and even branches of the Scout Association in the area will be closely involved.

A single-engine fighter plane, capable of speeds of over 400mph and armed with both 20mm cannon and eight rockets, the Hawker Typhoon came to symbolise the dominance of the Allies in the air during D-Day and the Normandy campaign that followed. It also played a vital role in the Allied victory and the liberation of France.

The festival says it will be using the construction of this giant ‘Tiffy’ to “inspire the next generation about history and engineering, whilst paying homage to the 16,000 Allied airmen who lost their lives during the Normandy battle and were among the unsung heroes of the liberation”.

There will also be a series of daily talks to pupils and the public about the aircraft, its crew and the important part it played in the Second World War.

There are no Hawker Typhoons still flying but the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group plans to change this by restoring

RB396, which flew with 174 Squadron, to airworthy condition.

The festival’s model plane will be painted in the same 174 Squadron markings.

The replica will be brought to the festival site from Boscombe Down in time for the 75th anniversary of D-Day on June6.

The Chalke Valley History Festival runs from June 24 to 30. For more information go to cvhf.org.uk