Iconic Spitfire

This scale replica of the famous wartime Spitfire is mounted at the entrance to Southampton Airport as a fitting icon to the airport’s indelible link with the aircraft.
In two days time the airport is planning to mark the 80th anniversary of the first flight of the prototype of the ‘plane. It was from here that the Spitfire first took to the skies in 1936.
A Spitfire will be taking to the skies from the airport to mark the occasion and will fly over the south coast for local people and visitors to see and recall the iconic aircraft designed by Southampton engineer R J Mitchell and built at factories at the airport and nearby Woolston
On Saturday, the Solent Sky Museum in Southampton is also planning a special 80th anniversary event to focus on bombing raids which Southampton suffered during the Second World War in an attempt to destroy the city’s Spitfire production facilities. at Woolston.

For the anniversary, the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar has promised two Spitfires for the flypast over Southampton.
Officials at the Airport say the Spitfire performing the 80th birthday flight should be visible around the Solent between 11:00 – 12:00 on Saturday  subject to weather conditions. Some good vantage points will be along the River Itchen, Weston Shore, Hythe, Royal Victoria Country Park, Lee on Solent and Cowes. Unfortunately there is no public viewing area at Southampton Airport, which will continue to be operate scheduled flights as normal that day.