Farnborough Gallery - Samuel Cody: the centenary of the first powered flight



The history of Farnborough is deeply rooted in its aviation links from the old Baloon Factory, to the establishment of the Royal Airforce in Trenchard House, to the development of the Royal Aircraft Establishment and to the international airshow that takes place every two years in the town. The images in this gallery remind us of some of the events that Farnborough has played host to over the years.

The innovations of American Samuel Franklin Cody in the early years of aviation development, from kites to balloons and then to aeroplanes, are heavily linked with his work at Farnborough and Aldershot. In the early 1900s Cody was testing his War-kites which eventually persuaded the British Army to employ him at the Balloon School. In 1907, with the army's focus on airships Cody was involved with the development of the Nulli Secundus airship. However, his enduring legacy came in 1908. After building and testing British Army Aeroplane No.1 he successfully achieved the first powered flight across Farnborough Common on 16th October for 27 seconds for 1,390 feet at a height of 30 feet. Cody's experiments continued for a further five years until his untimely death in a flying accident in his latest Floatplane on August 13th 1913. Samuel Cody was was buried with full military honours in the Aldershot Military Cemetery with his funeral procession drawing an estimated crowd of 100,000.

Farnborough Air Sciences Trust (FAST) a local museum-based aviation heritage organisation has constructed of a full size replica (52ft wingspan) of BAA 1A, in the exact configuration which flew on that day on 16th October 1908 with Samuel F. Cody at the controls and which was rolled out in time for the Farnborough International Airshow 2008. Full details on the project can be found on the project website at www.codyflyerproject.com.

If you have photos of or relating to the work of Samuel Cody that you'd like to see in this Centenary gallery why not send them to us so everyone can remember them.

How to use the gallery: Scroll with the arrows on the right and then click on a thumbnail of interest to view the full-size image and read the accompanying description.

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This photo shows aviator Samuel Cody sitting in one of his planes, and was featured in the publication "1908-1958 Fifty Years of Flying" which was produced by the Ministry of Supply as part of the SBAC exhibtion at the Farnborough Airshow in 1958.
This image is reproduced courtesy of SBAC.

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This photo shows aviator Samuel Cody sitting in one of his planes, and was featured in the publication "1908-1958 Fifty Years of Flying" which was produced by the Ministry of Supply as part of the SBAC exhibtion at the Farnborough Airshow in 1958.
This image is reproduced courtesy of SBAC.

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This photo shows aviator Samuel Cody flying one of his 'waterplanes' in 1910
This image is reproduced courtesy of Hampshire Library and Information Service.

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This photo shows aviator Samuel Cody's monoplane in 1910
This image is reproduced courtesy of Hampshire Library and Information Service.

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This photo shows a portrait of aviator Samuel Cody in 1910
This image is reproduced courtesy of Hampshire Library and Information Service.

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This photo shows a souvenir postcard of the funeral of aviator Samuel Cody following his death in 1913
This image is reproduced courtesy of Hampshire Library and Information Service.

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This photo shows onlookers at the wrecked machine of aviator Samuel Cody in 1913, the crash in which he was killed.
This image is reproduced courtesy of Hampshire Library and Information Service.

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This photo shows aviator Samuel Cody new biplane in 1912.
This image is reproduced courtesy of Hampshire Library and Information Service.

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This photo shows the floral tributes and mourners at Samuel Cody's funeral in 1913.
The original copyright to this image is unknown. It is reproduced courtesy of Evelyn Robinson.

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This photo shows aviator Samuel Cody flying one of his biplanes in 1910 with a couple of military onlookers.
The original copyright to this image is unknown. The copyright to this scan lies with Mustanguk.

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This photo shows aviator Samuel Cody experimenting with one of his war-kites in the early 1900s.
Click to view a larger version of this image.
The original copyright to this image lay with the Defence Research Agency under Crown Copyright provisions which have since expired. This photo is reproduced courtesy of Terry Middleton.

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This photo shows aviator Samuel Cody experimenting with one of his early biplanes before his first powered flight in 1908.
Click to view a larger version of this image.
The original copyright to this image lay with the Defence Research Agency under Crown Copyright provisions which have since expired. This photo is reproduced courtesy of Terry Middleton.

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This photo shows aviator Samuel Cody experimenting with one of his early biplanes, possibly British Army Aeroplane No.1, the craft which undertook the first powered flight.
Click to view a larger version of this image.
The original copyright to this image lay with the Defence Research Agency under Crown Copyright provisions which have since expired. This photo is reproduced courtesy of Terry Middleton.

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Reproduced courtesy of Hampshire Photographic Project: Hampshire County Museums Service Samuel Cody Collection (ref. HPP50/009)

Aviator Samuel Cody in 1908 or 1909 with one of his early experimental aircraft, the 'Cathedral 2'.

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Reproduced courtesy of Hampshire Photographic Project: Hampshire County Museums Service Samuel Cody Collection (ref. HPP50/030)

Aviator Samuel Cody in 1910.

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Reproduced courtesy of Hampshire Photographic Project: Hampshire County Museums Service Samuel Cody Collection (ref. HPP50/026)

Samuel Cody and Empress Eugenie, owner of the Farnborough Hill estate, in 1910.

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Reproduced courtesy of Hampshire Photographic Project: Hampshire County Museums Service Samuel Cody Collection (ref. HPP50/031)

Samuel Cody and the Prince of Japan in 1910.

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Reproduced courtesy of Hampshire Photographic Project: Hampshire County Museums Service Samuel Cody Collection (ref. HPP50/033)

Samuel Cody and the Prince of Japan in 1910.

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An aerial map of the RAE site in 1955 with the route of Samuel Cody's first powered flight in 1908 shown, from '50 years at Farnborough' produced by the RAE in 1955.
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This publication was originally covered by Crown Copyright, which has since expired.

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One of Samuel Cody's early aviation experiments involving kites, from '50 years at Farnborough' produced by the RAE in 1955.
This publication was originally covered by Crown Copyright, which has since expired.

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A military ballon being tested in Farnborough in 1906, from '50 years at Farnborough' produced by the RAE in 1955.
This publication was originally covered by Crown Copyright, which has since expired.

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The Nulli Secundus airship being tested at Farnborough in 1907, from '50 years at Farnborough' produced by the RAE in 1955.
This publication was originally covered by Crown Copyright, which has since expired.

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Three biplanes dating between 1908-1910: Cody biplane no.1, a Dunne biplane, and a FE1 (de Havilland no.2), from '50 years at Farnborough' produced by the RAE in 1955.
This publication was originally covered by Crown Copyright, which has since expired.

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