2 Isle of Wight companies – British Hovercraft Corporation and Britten Norman – helped put the Island on the map when they were honoured with Queen’s Awards for Industry on 21st April 1975 – 50 years ago today.
East Cowes-based BHC received its award for export achievement for the BH.7 and SR.N6 craft, which were used chiefly for coastal defence in the Middle East and elsewhere.
At that time, BHC had a 2,000 strong workforce, with exports valued at £27million (over £200million in today’s values) over a 7-year period. More than 60 craft built in East Cowes were in operation in 9 countries worldwide. By 1975, Isle of Wight-built hovercraft had carried over 7million passengers and 1million vehicles.
This was the second occasion BHC had received an award, having gained their first award in 1966 for technological innovation.
Britten Norman – who had previously won the award for export achievement in 1970 – won their award for technical excellence for developing the Trislander – a 3-engined, 18-seat aircraft, which then offered lower fuel consumption per aircraft passenger mile than any comparable plane.
The Trislander was an adaptation of the twin-engined Islander with a 3rd engine and a propellor mounted in its tail. 32 Britten Norman Trislanders were then in use throughout the world.
Both Queen’s Awards were presented to their respective companies by the then Governor of the Isle of Wight – Earl Mountbatten of Burma – on 22nd September of that year.
A great achievement.