Anybody seen this before?

[Guest Gary Davidson]

Found this picture in 1914 German book titled: TASHCHENBUCH DER LUFTFLOTTEN 1914

Unfortunately, I am unable to read German.

Gary

[andigger]

The first picture is 'A system of chain kites'

Second 'Chain kites with observation basket

Third, English chain kite division.

I am not sure if there is a better translation of Fessel, but chain is the best word that comes to mind.

Andy

[Dolphin]

Gary

The German Army used man-lifting kites in the early stages of the War. They were intended for use on days when the wind was too strong (35+ mph) for the standard Parseval-Sigsfeld balloon to be flown. Twelve kites linked together could lift an observer up to around 300 metres. However, there was an inherent fault in the theory behind their anticipated use: the strong winds that caused the kites to be used instead of balloons also made observation well-nigh impossible. Improved observation balloons saw the man-lifting kites disappear from the Front.

Later in the War large kites were used to supplement barrage balloons in an effort to keep Allied aircraft away from potential targets.

Regards

Gareth

[Simon Jones]

These are Cody man-lifting kites, developed by S F Cody an American who was later naturalised British (who was not Buffalo Bill although he did have his own Wild West show). They were adopted by the Royal Engineers Balloon Companies in 1906 for use when the wind was too strong for balloons. They were constructed with bamboo.

Regards

Simon

[KONDOA]

I have seen pictures of Cody sat in an aircraft with his groundcrew, any ideas which squadron and aircraft this would encompass. Sorry for diverting here but seems relevant to me.

Roop

[Dolphin]

Further to my earlier post, a photograph of a man-lifting kite platoon from Feldluftschiffer Abteilung 1 from Alex Imrie's 1971 book Pictorial History of the German Army Air Service is below.

Gareth

[Adrian Roberts]

Roop

I have seen pictures of Cody sat in an aircraft with his groundcrew, any ideas which squadron and aircraft this would encompass. Sorry for diverting here but seems relevant to me.

Cody was under contract to the British Army but remained a civilian. The aircraft, of his own design, in which he made the first flight on British soil in 1908 was called British Army Aeroplane No.1. Most of his flying was in later aircraft of his own design, and it is probable that the picture you saw was of one of these. If the groundcrew appeared to be in military uniform, he was probably demonstrating one.

He was killed in 1913 when one of his aeroplanes crashed, apparently due to structural failure, which was probably not unconnected with the fact that the airframes were made of bamboo and if a cane started to split he would tape it up with fabric

I imagine the man-lifting kites were even more scary.

Adrian

[Guest Gary Davidson]

Andy --

Thanks for the translation.

Gareth --

Thanks for the history lesson on these types of observation kites.

Simon and Roop --

Thanks for the fascinating information about S F Cody.

Adrian --

Thanks for the further history on Cody and his flying machines.

Sidebar: Maybe the reason I found this photograph of interest is because as a kid I used to build human-lifting kites constructed of bamboo, sheet plastic, and electrical tape -- delta-wing-type affairs that were a crude precursor to modern hang gliding.

Gary

[KONDOA]

Thanks Adrian,

I am enlightened. The perception the pictures first conveyed was that they were WW1 whih is now apparently not the case. A contact of my aquiantance , his relative, was the mechanic and hence he has a couple of photos of Cody et al.

Roop

[Moonraker]

Roop

Cody was under contract to the British Army but remained a civilian. The aircraft, of his own design, in which he made the first flight on British soil in 1908 was called British Army Aeroplane No.1. Most of his flying was in later aircraft of his own design, and it is probable that the picture you saw was of one of these. If the groundcrew appeared to be in military uniform, he was probably demonstrating one.

He was killed in 1913 when one of his aeroplanes crashed, apparently due to structural failure, which was probably not unconnected with the fact that the airframes were made of bamboo and if a cane started to split he would tape it up with fabric

Adrian

Just seen an item on Meridian TV Thames Valley News about a non-flying, full-scale replica of one of Cody's aeroplanes being made for display at the Farnborough Air Show next year to mark the centenary of the first successful powered flight (by Cody) in the UK. The presenters were marvelling at a Wild West showman also being a pioneer aviator - becoming the latest people to confuse "Colonel" William Cody ("Buffalo Bill") with "Colonel" Samuel Cody.

Moonraker