27/02/2024
Wight Shipyard is most commonly known for boasting the enormous Union Jack, proudly painted across the hangar doors but equally for providing many islanders with great work opportunities over the decades. Did you also know about the invaluable role that the Wight Shipyard played throughout history?…👀
Built in 1935 by Saunders Roe, the Columbine Works was constructed to build amphibious aircraft, and was invaluable when called upon by the RAF to help construct the likes of Sea Otter, Walrus and Lerwick for the war effort. Not long after, the world’s largest metal seaplane was built at the facility to provide luxury, transatlantic travel from Southampton to New York. But, being such a large aircraft, it couldn’t fit within the buildings 50,000 sq. ft footprint and subsequently, had to be completed outside. Known as ‘The Princess’, it proudly left the Solent in August 1952.
With the Columbine Works being known for constructing vital forms of transport with unique features, it seemed only right that the first ever hovercraft was built here in 1957. Known as the SR.N1, it took to the water in the summer of 1959. Even today, the hovercraft continues to be an invaluable mode of transportation for people, across the globe.
In addition to the construction of amphibious planes and hovercraft, the Columbine Works was also home to the Saunders Roe SR.53, an interceptor aircraft with a mixed-jet and rocket propulsion system. Revolutionary at the time, the aircraft, using its rocket propulsion, would rapidly climb and approach incoming hostile bombers at high speed and then following its attack run, would return to base on jet propulsion. Another highly innovative project was the ‘Black Knight’ and ‘Black Arrow’ space launchers. Both constructed at the Columbine Works and test fired at the Needles, with the Black Arrow being the first and only all-British space launch. Amazingly the ‘Prospero’ satellite that it launched, still orbits the Earth today!
Our Union Jack is the world’s largest and was originally painted on our doors in 1977 in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee. Never intended to permanently remain, the painting has remained up ever since, only to be refreshed in 2012, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics.
Whilst we are experiencing a period of sustained growth and development and are very much looking to the future, we are equally mindful of reflecting on and honouring the lengthy and pivotal history of the site we occupy. Our aim at Wight Shipyard is to continue that tradition of pioneering innovation of the island, far into the future!
