Southampton Airport spitfire name supported by council
21.04.06
A move to rename Southampton Airport in honour of the man who designed the Spitfire has received council support. The Spitfire first took to the skies from the airport, then Eastleigh airfield, 70 years ago.
R J Mitchell was chief designer for Supermarine and designed the World War II fighter plane in 1935, dying two years later from cancer, aged 42. At a meeting on Thursday, Eastleigh Borough Council members backed the idea to rename the airport R J Mitchell International Airport in his memory. However, any final decision on a name change lies with airport owner BAA.
Mr Mitchell, originally from Staffordshire, died in 1937, a year after seeing the prototype of his design make its maiden flight. More than 20,000 Spitfires - which played a crucial role in the Battle of Britain - were built in the city's Supermarine factory in Woolston.
To book southampton airport hotel or airport parking southampton at the lowest price, click on these links to two great southampton airport parking and southampton airport hotel price comparison pages.
