Lifting a Legend: Spitfire Remounted in Christchurch

Smith Crane and Construction was proud to work alongside City Care to remount one of Christchurch’s most iconic landmarks - the Spitfire plane at Spitfire Square.

After more than 450 hours of meticulous refurbishment, the aircraft - a replica of the original Spitfire TE288 first installed in 1964 - has been carefully returned to its rightful position. Looking better than ever, it now stands renewed just in time for ANZAC Day, once again serving as a powerful tribute and a striking welcome for Kiwis arriving home.

Our team completed the lift using one of our compact mobile cranes, the Liebherr LTM1050. With its 50-tonne lifting capacity and exceptional precision, it was the ideal machine for a lift of this sensitivity and significance.

A fantastic collaborative effort between City Care, Smith Crane and Construction, and all involved in restoring this piece of Christchurch history.

We’re proud to have played a part in bringing it back to life.