100 years of British, Manned, powered, heavier than air flight today!

[Robin Colbourne]

100 Years ago today, Samuel Franklin Cody made the first aeroplane flight in this country, on the site of what is now the airfield at Farnborough. 

 Given the number of people who have since worked in this country's aircraft industry and the revenue it has generated for the country's coffers, who agrees that there doesn't seem like a lot of recognition of this event?

Is this because:

1. Samuel Cody was an American citizen at the time?
2. Meddling ill-informed politicians have since scuppered most of the aircraft industry and are collectively too embarrassed to think about it?
3. Aeroplanes are no longer politically correct, and are just regarded as weapons of war and pollution generators?
4. Something else?

 What do you think?

 Robin

P.S.  I did go to Farnborough today and see the interesting, but fairly meagre flypast and the wonderful Cody Flyer replica.

[Ernie]

Wow, didn't know that.

But, I think you're looking for conspiracy theories

Suspect, it 's just  because theres a lot going on just now, so the media is not hungry for stories. Or maybe, nobody cares...sad

ernie

[001]

I think that this is a sad state of affairs. BBC's Blue Peter 50, loads of coverage, which event had more historic value?

[John Bunting]

Robin, I was at Farnborough in the 1950s, and knew a Jim Colbourne who had an Aeronca C3, registration G-AEWU I think. First powered aircraft I ever flew in, from Farnborough to Lasham. Any relation? 

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Wow, I hadn't read that anywhere, thanks Robin.

[Mike Rolls]

It was on the BBC news - and by coincidence, Jon Simpson, the BBC senior correspondent chap (probably not the correct title) is Cody's great grandson - there was some film of Cody with his family, including Simpson's mother.

Mike

[Myron Beaumont]

Couldn't the proverbial "they" have at least mentioned the fact on Blue Peter .I've never watched it but I falsely thought it's purpose was to inform!

[David Ashby - Moderator]

I didn't catch it on the news but at least it got a mention, thanks Mike.

[Ben Mullins]

There was a very small bit about it on South Today, the only reason it was shown was probably because Farnbourgh is in the middle of the "South Today" area

[winchweight]

It's because people are embarassed to be British and are more interested in the Beckhams than any really significant news and history.

[Robin Colbourne]

Hi all,

Thanks for the responses, I've been away without internet access for a few days so missed your replies.  

So it did make the news after all.  Well done BBC!

The Royal Aeronautical Society at Farnborough put on a lecture comparing Samuel Cody and A V Roe which was very informative.

 John Bunting, Yes, Jim is my Dad.  He spent a couple of years in the early fifties, rebuilding Aeronca 100 G-AEWU at RAE Farnborough, only to have the Bessonneau hangar in which she was being kept, collapse on top of her when the snow covering the hangar turned to slush.  Evidently th hangar wasn't fitted with the snow poles it should have had.  Dad had flown the Aeronca to various rallies and around Northern France before she was destroyed.  I'm glad to hear you got a flight in her.

 Dad is still a member of the Aeronca Association.  He last flew in one when Nick Chittenden took him up in his C3, G-AEFT, at Popham.

 If you have any pictures of G-AEWU, I would be very grateful of copies and would cover all expenses.

 Cheers,  Robin

[Planestory]

Robin

 

It's a very long time since you posted the message about your father and his Aeronca 100 G-AEWU. I do hope you are still a member of this forum and get to see this post.

 

I am an aviation historian and am preparing a new book for Air-Britain about the Aeronca C-series aircraft (and the British built equivalent, the Aeronca 100). Your father owned both EWU and EWV and perhaps we could talk about what you remember about these aircraft. Out of interest both are being rebuilt near Lymington with EWV much advanced and EWU as a rebuilt fuselage.

 

Peter Graham

[kc]

Peter,  welcome to the forum.   You could of course send a Personal Message to Robin and he might reply.   Click on the name shown whilst you are logged in and send a message.   And you can see the last time the person was on the forum - in this case 3rd July.

[Robin Colbourne]

Hi Peter,
Welcome to the forum from me too, and a big thank you for the information about Dad's Aeronca 100s. 
Sadly Dad died three years ago today; however he would have been overjoyed to know that not one, but both, of his Aeroncas are in the throes of restoration.  I did see the bare fuselage frame of WU (Willie Uncle, as Dad called it) when in Ben Cox's ownership, near Filton, in around 2005.
I have done some research into WU's history and discovered that it had been owned by 600 Squadron of the Royal Auxilary Air Force before the war, and had been laid up by them (including putting lanolin in the fuselage tubes) for the duration until they could fly it again.  G-AEWU - 600Sqn
After Dad had rebuilt it, Motor Sport Magazine test flew it as part of a series on light aircraft.  Motor Sport - Air handling the Aeronca

Here is Dad next WU at the SBAC show at Farnborough.  Dad completed his apprenticeship at General Aircraft in Hanworth, so the opportunity of a picture next to their Universal Freighter (later the Blackburn Beverley) was too good to miss.


I'll send you a private message too.
Best wishes,
Robin

Edited August 2, 2022 by Robin Colbourne

[kc]

Peter Graham - let the forum know when your book is available as there will be forum members who are interested.

Quite a few model plans in various sizes  for C2, C3 and C1 Scout notably by Philip Kent who also did a more accurate 3 view for the C1.   Most plans are from Sarik Hobbies and some on Outerzone too.