Solent Sky facts for kids
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| Location | Southampton, United Kingdom |
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| Type | Aviation museum |
Solent Sky is an exciting aviation museum located in Southampton, England. It used to be called the Southampton Hall of Aviation. This museum is all about the amazing history of flying in Southampton and the nearby Solent area.
The museum especially focuses on a famous aircraft company called Supermarine. This company was based in Woolston, Southampton. They created some very well-known planes. These include the speedy Supermarine S.6 seaplane and the legendary Supermarine Spitfire. Both were designed by a team led by R. J. Mitchell. The museum also tells the story of the exciting Schneider Trophy seaplane races. These races happened twice at Calshot Spit. You can also learn about the flying boat services that used to operate from the Solent.
Contents
History of the Museum Building
The building where Solent Sky is now was started in 1983. Barry Eaton, who was the City Architect at the time, designed it. The museum officially opened its doors in 1984.
What Can You See at Solent Sky?
The museum has many cool things to explore. You can see real aircraft, powerful engines, and even a historic lightship.
Amazing Aircraft on Display
You'll find many different types of planes at the museum. Some are full aircraft, while others are special sections.
- Avro 504J - This is a replica of an old plane.
- Britten-Norman BN-1
- de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW Mk.1 - XJ476
- de Havilland Tiger Moth
- de Havilland Vampire
- Folland Gnat
- Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.3 - You can see the cockpit part of this jet. It looks like a Harrier FRS.1.
- Mignet HM.14 Pou-du-Ciel - This plane's name means "Sky Flea."
- Saro Skeeter (x 2) - Two of these helicopters are on show.
- Saunders-Roe SR.A/1 - TG263
- Short Sandringham S.25/V - VH-BRC, Beachcomber
- Slingsby Grasshopper
- Slingsby Tandem Tutor
- SUMPAC
- Supermarine Nighthawk - Only its propellers are here.
- Supermarine S.6A - N248, this plane raced in the 1929 Schneider Trophy.
- Supermarine Seagull - You can see the front part of this plane.
- Supermarine Spitfire F.24 - PK683 - A real Spitfire!
- Supermarine Swift - This is the cockpit part of the plane.
- Wight Quadruplane - This is a replica of a plane with four wings.
In November 2023, a large part of a BAC One-Eleven plane was moved to the museum's outside area. It came from another aviation center.
Powerful Aircraft Engines
The museum also shows many different types of engines that powered these amazing aircraft.
- Alvis Leonides
- Alvis Leonides Major
- Bristol Siddeley Orpheus
- Bristol Proteus
- de Havilland Gipsy Major
- Gnome Monosoupape
- Metrovick Beryl
- Napier Gazelle
- Napier Lion
- Napier Naiad
- Napier Sabre
- Napier Scorpion
- Rolls-Royce/Continental 0-300
- Rolls-Royce Derwent
- Rolls-Royce Merlin - This famous engine powered the Spitfire!
The Calshot Spit Lightship
The LV 78 Calshot Spit is a special type of boat called a lightship. It was built in Southampton in 1914. Lightships are like floating lighthouses. This one helped guide ships safely into Southampton Water. It was taken out of service in 1987.
For many years, it was located near Ocean Village marina. In December 2019, the Calshot Spit Lightship was moved to its new home at the Solent Sky Museum. Now, it has been changed into part of the museum's cafe!
Other Cool Things to See
In 2017, a special exhibition was added. It shows the history of the Hampshire Police and Fire services. In September 2020, three old Southampton trams were moved to the museum site. There are plans to fix them up so visitors can see them soon.
Supporting the Museum
Solent Sky museum is supported by a charity. It's called the R. J. Mitchell Memorial Museum Limited. This charity helps teach people about aviation. They do this by keeping the museum open. It's also a way to remember R. J. Mitchell. He was the brilliant person who designed the Schneider Trophy S6B seaplane and the famous Spitfire.
Images for kids
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A general view of the Solent Sky museum.
See also
- List of aerospace museums
