Vickers-Supermarine flight test hangar

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 17 Aug 2006, 22:04

...appears to still be standing:

in amongst the Ford transit plant.

Its the three-pitched roof building indicated by the red arrow. Coincentally, the cemetary in the bottom left of the pic is where R J Mitchell is buried.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 17 Aug 2006, 22:17

Hi Toby

That's interesting and that building and the cemetery is the sort of thing missed by a non local unless pointed out by a local.

Perhaps a silly question.... but what is the different texture and defintaly shaped area off the end of the runway..is it some sort of deep soft arrester/slow up surface?

Garry

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 17 Aug 2006, 22:21

Hi Garry, yup thats exactly what it is... probably put there in the 1990s by BAA.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 17 Aug 2006, 22:24

Cheers Toby

Not the sort of thing easily seen from the ground and not that obvious in a landing/taking off aircraft.

Garry

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 18 Aug 2006, 00:40

I believe this is infact the very building that K5054, the prototype Spitfire would have been based in. AFAIK its the last remaining relic of Supermarine at Southamtpon, the buildings that housed the production facilities having been demolished in December 1988.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 18 Aug 2006, 00:49

Hi Toby

Is it luck that it's still there or is it listed?

Garry

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 18 Aug 2006, 10:50

I dont know. From the look of the other views, it has been appended to, no quite as much the as the adjacent ex-Cunliffe Owen factory which is now practically unrecognisable. I very much doubt it since aside from the historical importance of its use and I would think, the fact that it must now be the oldest surviving building 'at' (and I have to use the word loosely) the airport, its hardly an eye-catching piece of architecture

Motormouse · Post by **Motormouse** » 18 Aug 2006, 13:42

TobyV wrote: AFAIK its the last remaining relic of Supermarine at Southamtpon, the buildings that housed the production facilities having been demolished in December 1988.

I think the seaplane slipway from what was the Woolston flight shed is still there..off Hazel Road...just north of the new Itchen bridge? (The factory buildings were badly damaged by zer Luftwaffe in 1940)

But you're right there's not a lot left in the area, to commemorate or acknowledge what Supermarine did for us. Even the Vickers shipbuilding yard has now been flattened.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oi=eu_map ... ston&hl=en

ttfn

Pete

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 18 Aug 2006, 14:13

Theres quite a few things, a bus named after him, the university's wind largest wind tunnel is named after him, theres a bust of him in their foyer, theres the spitfire mockup outside the airport and a plan to name the airport after him. Beyond that theres also a plaque by the east of the Itchen bridge (presumably where the Supermarine works stood). I think what is in shortly supply now is any physical evidence of Supermarine, or indeed much of the rest of the Aerospace and Shipping industry in that area of the Solent.

Motormouse · Post by **Motormouse** » 18 Aug 2006, 14:50

TobyV wrote: I think what is in shortly supply now is any physical evidence of Supermarine, or indeed much of the rest of the Aerospace and Shipping industry in that area of the Solent.

Indeed Toby, over the water in Cowes the Saunders-Roe works
is also under threat, although the Columbine Hangar, (the one with Union Jack painted on it) is safe for now,used by Ellen MacArthur to store her yotties.

Also the Gridiron shed,where Whites built the Wight seaplanes (the first seaplanes to be built in Britain) is scheduled for demolition, in the picture its' the shed with the brown roof to the right of the area outlined in red.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A430886

http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/iowweb/jsw.html

ttfn

Pete