Schneider Trophy History

[Corsairoz]

Please forgive the small promotional piece (if this breaks any rules, I apologise and mods please remove).

A unique 'returning home' will be occuring this month at Calshot in the UK, with help from a Lottery Grant. Entry is free.

She’s coming home... the Supermarine S6 - a wonderful piece of south coast aviation history that is synonymous with Calshot.

In 1929 and 1931 the world focused its attention on the Solent for the thrilling Schneider Trophy air races. Featuring futuristic seaplanes piloted by “The Kings of Speed” and based in Calshot’s hangars.

From Tuesday October 25th, 2011, at Calshot Activities Centre, you’ll be able to discover more about these men and machines through ‘Air, Sea & Speed’ an exhibition from Solent Sky Museum.

At the centre of this wonderful collection of engines, photographs and film will be the Supermarine S6.A N248 – designed by the legendary RJ Mitchell and displayed in the original Schneider hangar.

Opening times: 11am – 3pm
Exhibition runs until Sunday 20th November.

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/air_sea_speed_calshot.jpg

Calshot News (http://www3.hants.gov.uk/calshot/calshot-news1.htm)

A unique chance to see a unique aircraft in its original home, overlooking the waters of its successes. I will be personally manning the exhibition on Saturday 12th November.

Corsairoz

[Fournierf5]

Excellent news but . . . it's HANGAR please!

[Corsairoz]

I've corrected my copy and paste....but I cannot change the council site :).

But I will be admonishing the guilty most severely :)

[Wander00]

A window over the entrance to what is now Harrow High School, but which in earlier and halcyon days was Harrow County School for Boys, commeorates the outright winning of the Trophy in 1931 by the then Flt Lt John Boothman, an old boy ("Old Gaytonian" as we are known). Sadly it seems that the current establishment did little, if anything, to mark this the 80th anniversary year of the achievement.

[Warmtoast]

In 1951 on the way to Southampton to join the liner that was to convey me and other airmen of Draft 2128 to the Rhodesia Air Training Group, I had time to spare at Waterloo and visited the the Festival of Britain exhibition on the site adjacent to Waterloo station, the date from my diary shows it was Wednesday 18th July 1951.

The aviation gallery in the Tranport Hall had a Schneider Trophy Supermarine S.6 seaplane and DH88 Comet 1930's racer on display as shown in the photo below.

Not sure whether the Schneider Trophy Supermarine S.6 was an original aircraft or replica, but it certainly drew the crowds.

Would the one I saw in 1951 be the one going on show at Calshot?

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/RAF%20Thornhill/FestivalofBritain-18thJuly1951-T-1.jpg