Earlier this week, a picture of Pauline Gower and Dorothy Spicer with their Spartan Aircraft called “Helen of Troy” was presented to Gavin Stride, Director of Creative Island, by Helen Blake, Chairperson of Wight Aviation Museum (WAM).
Gavin was on a fact-finding tour of the Museum. Creative Island is one of the new Arts Council National Portfolio Organisations (NPO) on the Island, with the aim to encourage shared ambition, nurture talent, support creative education and develop a cultural strategy for the Isle of Wight.
Built at Somerton works near Cowes
The presentation at the Museum on Tuesday shows a picture of Gower and Spicer’s aircraft, which was built at Somerton works near Cowes, and was used by them for their Air Tours business and touring the country to encourage support for aviation.
It was one of three Spartans owned by the couple. WAM is raising funds to return a fully restored example of this aircraft to the Island.
See the WAM website for details or email “Spartan Campaign” to [email protected].
Trained in aeronautical engineering when forbidden for women
Through the support and encouragement of the Spartan Aircraft Company’s management Dorothy was encouraged to train in aeronautical engineering at a time when this was forbidden for women.
Pauline used her social and political connections to get women into flying aircraft to help the war effort by establishing the women’s branch of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA).
Exploring the Island’s heritage
In his role directing Creative Island, the Cultural Development Agency for the Isle of Wight, Gavin was shown how the Island made gondolas for airships, thousands of planes for the first and second world wars.
Helen spoke about our interwar aircraft, including the Spartans, which were in demand worldwide, hovercraft, largest metal Seaplane ever built and the only British rocket to have successfully launched a satellite.
Still building world-beating aircraft on the Island
The way we still build world beating aircraft on the Island and high-tech components for many successful aircraft worldwide was demonstrated. Helen and Gavin discussed the recent collaboration between GKN at Cowes and Rolls Royce to develop a revolutionary composite turbine blade which has enabled the building of the UltraFan; the biggest and most powerful jet engine in the world.
At same time the UltraFan offers a 25% fuel saving relative to a first generation engine.
Find out more
For more information, email “Spartan Campaign” to [email protected] or phone or text to 07949 704052 or visit our website.
News shared by Brian on behalf of Wight Aviation Museum. Ed
