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Solent Sky

{{Short description|Aviation museum in Southampton, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}

{{Infobox museum

| name = Solent Sky

| logo = Solent Sky general view.JPG

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| map_type = United Kingdom Southampton

| coordinates = {{coord|50.89793|-1.39313|region:GB|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| former_name =

| established =

| dissolved =

| location = Southampton, United Kingdom

| type = Aviation museum

| founder =

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| website = {{URL|http://www.solentsky.org}}

}}

Solent Sky (previously known as the Southampton Hall of Aviation) is an aviation museum in Southampton, England.

The museum depicts the history of aviation in Southampton, the Solent area and Hampshire. There is a focus on Supermarine, the aircraft company based in Woolston, Southampton, and its most famous products, the Supermarine S.6 seaplane and the Supermarine Spitfire, designed by a team led R. J. Mitchell. There is also coverage of the Schneider Trophy seaplane races, twice held at Calshot Spit, and the flying boat services which operated from the Solent.

History

The forerunner to the museum was a museum focusing on Supermarine set up in the 1970s in a NAAFI hut alongside Havelock Road.{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Alan |date=1984 |title=Southampton Hall Of Aviation The Aviation Experience |chapter=Making of a Museum |publisher= |pages=22–25 }} In the latter part of 1982 decay of the buildings lead to the museum committee petitioning Southampton city council to build a new museum. Construction of the current building began in 1983 and was designed by Barry Eaton, then the City Architect.{{cite book |last1=O’Brien |first1=Charles|last2=Bailey |first2=Bruce|last3=Pevsner |first3=Nikolaus |last4=Lloyd |first4=David W. |date=2018 |title=The Buildings of England Hampshire: South |publisher=Yale University Press |page=619 |isbn=9780300225037}} A Short Sandringham on loan from the science museum group was moved into the unfished building on 1 July 1983. The new museum opened 26 May 1984.{{cite web |url=https://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/flying-boats-at-southampton/ |title=Flying Boats at southampton |last=Rooney |first=David |date=14 April 2021 |website=Science Museum |publisher=Science Museum Group |access-date=18 October 2021}} On 25 November 2023 the fuselage of a BAC One-Eleven was moved to the exterior of the museum from Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre.{{cite news |last=Edgley |first=Timothy |date=26 November 2023 |title=Aircraft towed through Southampton streets on way to Solent Sky Museum |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/23948275.aircraft-towed-southampton-streets-way-solent-sky-museum/ |work=Southern Daily echo |location= |access-date=}} In November 2024 the museum was granted planning permission to build a connection between the aircraft fuselage and the main museum.{{cite news |last=Yandell |first=Chris |date=21 November 2024 |title=Plan to extend Southampton's Solent Sky museum approved |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/24731436.plan-extend-southamptons-solent-sky-museum-approved/ |work=Southern Daily Echo |access-date=22 November 2024}} In 2017 the museum acquired a Britten-Norman Trislander that had previously been operated by Aurigny. It was moved to their Southampton site in April 2025.{{cite news |last=Magaglio |first=Cristiano |date=23 April 2025 |title=Iconic Trislander at Solent Sky Museum in Southampton |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/25105726.iconic-trislander-solent-sky-museum-southampton/ |work=Southern Daily Echo |publisher=Newsquest Media Group |access-date=23 April 2025}}

Exhibits

{{unreferenced section|date=February 2024}}

=Aircraft=

Aircraft on display at the museum include:

File:Supermarine S.6A N248.JPGA, N248 on display.]]

File:Solent Sky Museum Tour Drone Overview.webm

=Engines=

The following engines can be seen at the museum:

File:Alvis Leonides Major.JPG on display.]]

Calshot Spit lightship

Image:Calshot Spit Lightship.jpg Lightship]]

The LV 78 Calshot Spit is a lightship built in Southampton in 1914. It was decommissioned in 1987. Between 1988 and 2010, it was located at the entrance to Ocean Village marina,{{cite web|url=http://www.feuerschiffseite.de/SCHIFFE/ENGLAND/LV78/lv78.htm |access-date=2 July 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060809093554/http://www.feuerschiffseite.de/SCHIFFE/ENGLAND/LV78/lv78.htm |title=Trinity House LV No. 78 - Calshot Spit 1914 - 1978|archive-date=9 August 2006 }} which formed a static attraction at the marina. This Trinity House navigation aid had guided ships entering Southampton Water from the western end of the Solent, coming around the low lying sand and shingle Calshot Spit. It was built in 1914 by J I Thornycroft shipyard in Southampton, and decommissioned in 1978. The lightship was removed on 3 November 2010 and taken to be restored at Trafalgar Dry Dock. The lightship was to become a "gateway attraction" at a new heritage museum called Aeronautica.{{cite web|author=Bethan Phillips |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/8492198.Calshot_lightship_on_the_move/ |title=Landmark Calshot Spit lightship moved from Southampton's Ocean Village to Trafalgar Dock |website=Dailyecho.co.uk |date=3 November 2010 |access-date=2016-03-09}} The plans for Aeronautica came to a halt in January 2012.{{cite news |date=19 January 2012 |title=Southampton Aeronautica museum site is withdrawn |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-16633719 |newspaper=BBC News |access-date=15 April 2015 }} In December 2019 the Calshot Spit Lightship was transported to its new home at the Solent Sky Museum with plans to convert it into part of the museum's cafe.{{cite news |date=12 December 2019 |title=Southampton Calshot Spit lightship on the move ahead of cafe revamp |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-50742763 |work=BBC News |access-date=14 December 2019 }}

Other items

In 2017 an exhibition by the Hampshire Police and Fire Heritage Trust was added to the museum.{{cite news |date=14 July 2017 |title=Exhibition on the history of Hampshire police and fire services opens at Solent Sky Museum |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/15408218.exhibition-on-the-history-of-hampshire-police-and-fire-services-opens-at-solent-sky-museum/ |work=Southern Daily Echo |access-date=10 November 2019 }} In September 2020, three of Southampton's former trams were moved to the museum site. There are plans for the trams to undergo restoration before going on public display.{{cite news |last=Yandell |first=Chris |date=1 September 2020 |title=Famous Southampton trams make final stop at Solent Sky Museum |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/18688552.famous-southampton-trams-make-final-stop-solent-sky-museum/ |work=Southern Daily Echo |access-date=7 October 2020}}  The restoration of Tram 11 was completed by May 2025.{{cite news |last=Wiggs |first=Kieran |date=28 May 2025 |title=One of Southampton's final trams restored to former glory |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/25193435.one-southamptons-final-trams-restored-former-glory/ |work=Southern Daily Echo |publisher=Newsquest Media Group Ltd |access-date=28 May 2025}}

Charity

The work of Solent Sky is supported by a registered charity, the R. J. Mitchell Memorial Museum Limited, whose objects are "to advance the education of the public in matters relating to aviation by establishing and maintaining a museum as a permanent memorial to R. J. Mitchell, the designer of the Schneider Trophy S6B seaplane and the Spitfire."{{EW charity|262995|R. J. Mitchell Memorial Museum Limited}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • {{cite book |last1=Solent Sky Aviation Museum |title=Souvenir Guide Book |date=2014 |publisher=Solent Sky |location=Southampton, UK |ref=none}}
  • {{cite news |last1=Solent Sky Museum |title=Solent sky: the house magazine of Solent Sky Museum |ref=none |location=Southampton, UK |pages=|oclc=1223597706}}

External links

{{Commons category|Solent Sky museum}}

  • [https://www.solentsky.org/ Official website]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20070209025945/http://www.rjmitchell-spitfire.co.uk/ R. J. Mitchell website] (self-published website, now inactive)
  • [http://www.aviationmuseum.eu/World/Europe/UK/Southhampton/Solent_Sky_Museum.htm Profile at Aviation Museums of the World]

{{Buildings in Southampton}}

{{British Aviation Museums}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Aerospace museums in England

Category:Museums in Southampton

Category:The Solent

Category:Science and technology in Hampshire