TOTALLY SECRETIVE MAN-LIFTING WAR KITE - Samuel Franklin Cody, 1901 So, the notion of sky-spying isn
TOTALLY SECRETIVE MAN-LIFTING WAR KITE - Samuel Franklin Cody, 1901 So, the notion of sky-spying isn’t a new one. There’ve been a variety of intriguing inventions specifically purported to quietly convey a passenger into a dangerous viewing zone. In this case, these kites were invented to bring a man within spying distance of various wicked things, including artillery. Or, failing that, cause him to crash spectacularly into said wicked things, depending on the wind. The Man-Lifting War Kite was created by Samuel Franklin Cody (not his real name - he changed it from Cowdery, because he was a fan of Wild Bill Cody) a one-time Wild-West show performer within Forepaugh’s Circus. It was first patented in 1901, and offered to the British War Office for spotting services in the Second Boer War. He also developed a motorized kite, which he wanted to turn into an airplane, and was on the testing team of British Army Dirigible No. 1, the Nulli Secundus (England’s first powered airship.) Ultimately, Cody flew the first official flight of a piloted “heavier than air” machine in Britain. Here’s a terrific article about Cody. Here’s a photo of Cody’s common law wife, Lela Cody, the first woman in Great Britain to fly, in 1902 (or so?). I mean, look at this lovely shot, and the following, showing her skirt tied to preserve modesty… See here for more on Cody’s kites - and some wonderful museum photos of one of them. Even more bizarre than these - and kind of lovely, too - is the below, Samuel F. Perkins riff on the same theme. In the top right corner, there is a “lead kite” which was flown first to test wind conditions. Then additional kites were raised one at a time, until there were enough kites aloft to lift a man with them. The pilot was reeled in and out via a winch on the ground. -- source link
Tumblr Blog : mariadahvanaheadley.tumblr.com
#foolhardy spying