OVER 20 AIRCRAFT TO DISCOVER AND EXPLORE
The Solent region was the centre of aviation research and development between 1910 and 1960. Solent Sky houses over 20 aircraft from the golden age of aviation.
SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE F24 PK683
Southampton is the birthplace of the Supermarine Spitfire. Visit Solent Sky to learn the fascinating history of the world's greatest fighting aircraft!
SHORT SANDRINGHAM S.25/V - VH-BRC, BEACHCOMBER
Southampton was home to the largest flying boat operation in the world. Learn about travelling to the British Empire on week-long aerial cruises, and climb aboard our giant Short Sandringham flying boat! Flight Deck visits available on request.
SUPERMARINE S.6A - N248, COMPETED IN THE 1929 SCHNEIDER TROPHY
The Schneider Trophy Air Race was the fastest and most dangerous sport in history. Learn how racing seaplanes went from 40 mph top speeds to over 400 mph, and see the legendary Supermarine S6A from 1929.
HAWKER SIDDELEY HARRIER GR.3 - COCKPIT SECTION.
The Harrier cockpit is one of our most popular exhibits – sit in the pilot’s seat and provide your own jet-fighter sound-effects for full “interactivity”!
SAUNDERS-ROE SR.A/1 – TG263
The world’s only jet-fighter-flying boat, and one of the most unusual experimental aircraft ever built.
SUPERMARINE SWIFT F5 COCKPIT AND F7 XF114
The Swift is another of our cockpits available for you to sit inside. Our other Swift is being restored in our workshop – make sure you stop by to see the work in progress!
FOLLAND GNAT F.1 XK740
The Folland Gnat is a single-seat jet fighter and training aircraft that served with the British, Finnish, Indian and Yugoslav air forces. The aircraft was also manufactured in India as the HAL Ajeet.
AVRO 504J (REPLICA)
The Avro 504 is a First World War biplane. Production continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in the First World War, in any military capacity. More than 10,000 were built from 1913 until production ended in 1940.
BRITTEN-NORMAN BN-1F - G-ALZE
The Britten-Norman BN-1F is a single-seat ultralight aircraft built on the Isle of Wight in 1950.
DE HAVILLAND SEA VIXEN - XJ571
The de Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen is a two-seat, carrier-based jet fighter flown by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm during the 1950s through the early 1970s.
The Sea Vixen was the first British two-seat combat aircraft to achieve supersonic speed, though not in level flight. Sea Vixens were used in combat over Tanganyika and over Yemen during the Aden Emergency.
DE HAVILLAND TIGER MOTH - BB807 (G-ADWO)
The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane operated by the RAF and many other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. The Second World War saw RAF Tiger Moths operating in other capacities, including maritime surveillance and defensive anti-invasion preparations; some aircraft were even outfitted to function as armed light bombers.
DE HAVILLAND VAMPIRE T.11 - 'U-1215' (XE998)
The de Havilland Vampire was the second jet fighter to be operated by the RAF. The T.11 is the two-seat training version.
MIGNET HM.14 POU-DU-CIEL "FLYING FLEA" - G-ADZW
The Flying Flea is a light home-built aircraft first flown in 1933.
SARO SKEETER - G-APOI & XL770
The Saunders-Roe Skeeter is a two-seat training and scout helicopter that was developed and produced at Southampton Airport.
SUMPAC
The Southampton University Man Powered Aircraft (or SUMPAC) became the first human-powered aeroplane to make an officially authenticated take-off and flight on 9 November 1961. It was designed and built by Southampton university students between 1960 and 1961 for an attempt at the Kremer prize, but it was never able to complete the 'figure-of-eight' course specified to claim the prize money.
SUPERMARINE SEAGULL - NOSE SECTION ONLY
The Supermarine Seagull is an amphibian flying boat. Seagulls were used as fleet spotters by 440 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight, operating from HMS Eagle. The Seagull II was the first British aircraft to be catapult launched in 1925. The crew was normally three (Pilot, Observer, and Radio-Operator). Australian Seagulls were operated by the RAAF, and were used to carry out a photographic survey of the Great Barrier Reef.
WIGHT QUADRUPLANE REPLICA - ‘N546’
The Wight Quadruplane is a British single seat quadruplane fighter aircraft built by J Samuel White & Company Limited (Wight Aircraft) on the Isle of Wight during World War I.
TWO MUSEUMS IN ONE!
Solent Sky is also the home of the Hampshire Police and Fire Heritage Collection!