Thanks to all who have signed and shared. The amazing total is now well over 55,000!

Late last year a Listing Application for the Flight Shed was submitted to Historic England by Dave Key of “The Supermariners”:  https://supermariners.wordpress.com/supermarine/ . Owing to the still imminent threat of demolition Historic England have given the application a high priority and a provisional response from them shows that they have taken on-board many of the comments raised that identified the unique significance of the Flight Shed to our history and are working with us to ensure the accuracy of their final assessment.

Sadly, not all assessments have been so thorough and we are striving to ensure that some of the omissions and misinformation that are still being presented are corrected.

Our ongoing research has uncovered more images of the Flight Shed, but period images of the interior are still elusive, this, together with a lack of access, has continued to hamper our own assessment. However, we are aware that at least one heritage expert has been allowed access and we are hoping to work with them to better understand what has survived and what the alterations can tell us of the building’s story. For now our information is limited to an ‘urban explorer’ who found his way in. One of his shots is in the collage above and the link to the video he posted on Facebook is here:  https://youtu.be/wzl41BvFYS4

We are aware that the outcome may not be a positive one but the petition has led to extremely constructive links with Aviation Heritage UK: https://aviationheritageuk.org/ who are now looking to coordinate a national database of buildings such as the Flight Shed. Aviation-related structures currently seem to be accorded a lower level of protection in comparison with other industrial and historical structures. In part because there has not been a strong collective voice to fight their cause. We hope that this cross-organisation cooperation will begin to change that.

Another petition highlighting the threat to our aviation heritage is seeking to save the Historic Miles Aircraft Headquarters in Woodley, Berkshire. (Google that to find it!) It already has over 4,000 signatures.

On a smaller scale, one of the locations where Supermarine subcontractors were at work in Southampton will shortly have a commemorative plaque unveiled. What is now the Shirley Parish Hall (also subject to a planning application!) was making Spitfire jettison fuel tanks and air filters. More of these plaques are planned to go up in many locations across Southampton and beyond: www.spitfiremakers.org.uk