Coventry Cathedral, Priory Street, Coventry, UK, 1962 (b/w photo)

Photographer, John Laing and Son Ltd; Builder, John Laing and Son Ltd; Architect, BASIL SPENCE; Engineer, Ove Arup and Partners Ltd; Laing staff with a RAF officer reading a story in The Coventry Evening Telegraph. The story on the front cover refers to the successful installation of the fleche, the 80 ft bronze spire lowered on the roof of Coventry Cathedral by a RAF Belvedere helicopter. The photograph was taken during 'Operation Rich Man' a joint project involving Royal Air Force staff and Laing staff. This involved a RAF Belvedere helicopter hoisting in to place the 80ft bronze spire on to the new cathedral. The part of the operation to lower the 1/2 ton cross that sits on top of the spire had to be postponed due to windy conditions.