Aviation in Britain Before the First World War The Cody aircraft mark VIA being demonstrated as an ambulance plane. In the foreground is the first aid outfit in a case sat on the ground in front of the aircraft. This was both the last and the largest of Cody's aircraft and was intended to take part in the Daily Mail Coastal Circuit of Britain contest. This competition was to begin in August 1913 from Calshot near Southampton following the south and east coast to Inverness down the Caledonian canal to the west coast, across the Irish sea to Dublin, round Land's End to Falmouth and then returnin
Aviation in Britain Before the First World War The Cody aircraft mark VIA being demonstrated as an ambulance plane. In the foreground is the first aid outfit in a case sat on the ground in front of the aircraft. This was both the last and the largest of Cody's aircraft and was intended to take part in the Daily Mail Coastal Circuit of Britain contest. This competition was to begin in August 1913 from Calshot near Southampton following the south and east coast to Inverness down the Caledonian canal to the west coast, across the Irish sea to Dublin, round Land's End to Falmouth and then returning to Southampton all to be done within 72 hours. The aircraft was again a biplane with a single frontal elevator and a single triangular rudder with horizontal appendage held on two spars so as to accommodate the large four bladed propeller in a pusher configuration. Cody made numerous flights in the aircraft fitted with the conventional undercarriage. Despite the aircraft's size the 100 hp Green engine meant it was relatively fast and handled well with Cody confident that he could win the race for which there were only three other entries. However on the 7th August 1913 Cody and W H B Evans were killed when the aircraft broke up whilst he was returning to land at Laffan's Plain.
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Photo credit: © piemags/archive/military / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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