Dates: 1935 -
In 1932 Southampton Corporation purchased the site and it became "Southampton Municipal Airport". By 1935 part of the site was being used by the Fleet Air Arm of the RAF and was briefly known as RAF Eastleigh before it became RAF Southampton in 1936. The military site was transferred to Naval command in 1939 and renamed HMS Raven, and subsequently spent most of the war in a ground and air training role for the Royal Navy. It eventually passed back into civilian ownership in April 1946.
During the 1950s a mainstay of business for the airport was the Cross channel car ferry service operated by Silver City Airways using Bristol Freighters and Superfreighters. In 1965 a new concrete runway was built, opening for use in 1966, enabling the operation of larger aircraft.
In 1936 Supermarine opened a test flight facility on the site, followed shortly thereafter by the opening of the Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft factory on the southern end of the runway. Both companies later closed their Southampton operations, Supermarine moving flying activities to Chilbolton, and Cunliffe-Owen selling their factory to Ford. This factory is still in use, although now located off-field due to the opening of the M27 motorway in 1983. Cierva Autogiro rented portions of the Cunliffe-Owen plants starting in 1946, and had to move to another location on the field when it was sold to Ford. They continued operations on the field until about 1960
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving RAF Eastleigh
" Hi all, and a very good afternoon to you. Great thread Syd, and you even stirred up a memory or three for me. So just as a starter...... I’ve read with interest what a wonderful time everyone has had in the main during there military service. As you can see, I was RAF and thought I ..."
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" Hi George I served at RAF Eastleigh 1952-54 and went to Mombasa once. In 58-59 I was in Aden and went there again on leave. Nyali Beach R&R camp mainly used by Army and RAF I seem to recall. I seem to remember a Rainbow Bar, and The Star Bar. On the main drag I think. I drank enough to kill off ..."
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" I think that I have posted this in an earlier thread, not to worry. I joined the RAF in January 1952 and before my basic training had finished I was on draft for the Middle East. From RAF West Kirby those of us drafted travelled to Lytham St Annes where we were kitted out for our overseas tour. ..."
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" This is RAF Eastleigh fellas, kenya 1958-60 "One of our main responsibilities was provision of a flare-path on the runway for night flying, there being no permanent lighting on this airfield. It was a messy job, involving dozens of ‘goose-neck’ flares the length of the runway and at the touchdown ..."
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" I’ve been asked from time to to time why I made what turned out to be a life-changing decision to leave the UK and got to New Zealand, so make yourselves comfortable! I was at RAF Eastleigh, near Nairobi in Kenya, 1958-60, and in the latter year there was a firm of Italian engineers doing some ..."
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"My youngest son was born april 21/62
was at the in the MT section was a good friend of f/sgt dennis sprag and family we had meny outings to thika falls"
