Airport

Southampton 1919

Southampton, the first 'Air Port'
Southampton, the first 'Air Port'


In 1910 Edwin Moon took off in his Moonbeam II aircraft in air fields near Southampton.
During World War I, Southampton became a major post for military aircraft, these were mainly 'Flying Boats'.

These war planes became Britain’s first commercial flying boats, and the newspapers of the time reported that Southampton Water had become the world’s first ‘Air-Port’.

Early Supermarine Flying Boat
Early Supermarine Flying Boat

Flying Boats

When aviation kicked off one of the major problems of flying to a destination was finding somewhere for the aircraft to land. The flying boats were a way around this because all they needed to land was a stretch of water. And sea ports were already established around the world. A pilot (one who steers a ship) was then required to guide the plane to open water ready for take-off.

Between the wars, the Solent area in Hampshire became a hub for aircraft production to meet the growing civilian air transportation sector.

Flying boats became immense like the Saunders Roe Princess
Flying boats became immense like the Saunders Roe Princess

 

Spitfire

The Supermarine factory near Southampton Airport was later used to assemble Spitfire fighters during World War II.


Solent Sky Museum
BBC Southampton
The emblem of Rule Britannia
In History
  • 21 September 1936.
    This month 87 years ago the world lost Frank Hornby
  • 01 September 1976.
    This month 47 years ago the world lost Percy Shaw
  • 10 September 1960.
    This month 63 years ago the world lost Harold Gillies
  • 01 September 1806.
    This month 217 years ago the world lost Edward Nairne
  • 21 September 1836.
    This month 187 years ago the world lost John Stafford Smith
  • 01 September 1846.
    This month 177 years ago the world lost Edwin Beard Budding
  • 25 September 1936.
    This month 87 years ago the world lost William Horlick
  • Christmas Cracker. 200 years ago 18/10/1823 Tom Smith was born
  • 17 September 1877.
    This month 146 years ago the world lost William Henry Fox Talbot
  • 28 September 1839.
    On this day 184 years ago John Lawson Johnston was born
  • 18 September 1938.
    This month 85 years ago the world lost William Fletcher
  • Marshall Amplification. 100 years ago 29/7/1923 Jim Marshall was born
  • 10 September 1938.
    This month 85 years ago the world lost Charles Cruft
  • 18 September 1967.
    This month 56 years ago the world lost John Cockcroft
  • 16 September 1890.
    This month 133 years ago the world lost Louis Le Prince
  • 50 years ago in 1973 The first stable LCD is announced to the world.
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