Current News
Cody Flyer Project - Progress Report May 2008
The last period has seen consistent progress across all aspects of the build programme including construction of the companion simulator. Various key parts and sub-assemblies continue to arrive at the museum for integration into the airframe. Preparations are in hand for the move of the replica to its new, but temporary, location on Farnborough airfield for subsequent display at the Air Show in July. Cody’s masterpiece will be displayed alongside a Wright Flyer and other replicas of the era in a special pavilion dedicated to 100 years of powered flight. Take a look at the beautiful replica engine being constructed for the simulator by FAST volunteers.
On the engineering side more key milestones have been achieved. The most significant of these was successful joining of the fuselage with the port and starboard wing assemblies to make a complete airframe. This has proven the design of the novel ‘transport joint system’ specially developed to allow the replica to be safely moved in sections. Other achievements include mounting of the two large aluminium radiators on the struts in the port and starboard wing bays, fitting of the wingtip wheel assemblies, test alignment of the propeller shafts and production of the electric drive system to animate the engine crank shaft, drive train and propellers. Fabric sections continue to be sewn and prepared for fitting and fabric ‘socks’ have been produced for the so called ‘front rudder’.
The replica will take its rightful place at the various centenary celebrations planned throughout this year. As media interest in the centenary grows watch out for TV and Radio coverage of the project helping to advertise FAST and our mission to conserve the rich aviation heritage of Farnborough over the years. Even at this stage we are still actively seeking more financial sponsorship as project costs currently exceed our project funds. Sponsors can be publicly recognised as helping us with this nationally important and historically significant event.
Cody Flyer Project - Progress Report MARCH 2008
Firstly, two new
pages have been created featuring the names & roles of the invaluable
Cody Flyer Project
Team and a list of Supporting
Organisations
Both pages have been added to the navigation bar above:
Cody Team & Support Team.
The period starting in January 2008 has seen the project move into the most exciting phase of all; the construction! With the background research, planning, and production methods now largely complete we have moved smoothly into the actual build. We are pleased to report that to date everything is going very much to plan leading towards a roll out in time for Farnborough International in July 2008. In addition to the core project team working in the ‘Badger Works’, numerous FAST members, individuals, small engineering companies and supporting organisations are currently busy fabricating a host of fittings and subassemblies off site.
From an engineering point of view progress has been good. We are proud to confirm important milestones have been achieved. These include construction of port and starboard wing assemblies and the front rudder (actually an elevator) assembly. The fuselage has also been fabricated and is now integrated with the undercarriage assembly and tail wheel to achieve ‘weight on wheels’. All these assemblies include wire bracing, turn buckles, and the use of the famous Cody Knots. Fabric sections have also been prepared and stitched ready for application to the wings. We will now soon be in a position to fit the wing assemblies to the fuselage to form the first complete airframe structure.
The risk to successful completion is diminishing daily and we are now more
confident than ever of completion in time for the replica to take its rightful
place at the various centenary celebrations taking place later this year.
One thing is sure; as the structure takes shape we have been reminded how
impressively large Cody’s aircraft was and what a magnificent achievement
he made back at the turn of the century.
We are still actively seeking financial
sponsorship in return for being listed and recognised as helping us
with this nationally important and historically significant event.
Larger copies of the images are included in our GALLERY
The FAST Cody Flyer Project
Mission
To build a (non-flying) full size replica of British Army Aircraft Number 1A in which Samuel Franklin Cody, on 16 October, 1908 made the first powered, controlled flight in the UK of a heavier than air machine.
The replica, to be completed in time for the 100th Anniversary of that historic flight in October, 2008, is to be built to the drawings prepared by John Roberts based on research over many years by Mrs. Jean Roberts.
The fundamental mandates of the project are authenticity & meeting the October 2008 deadline.
As such, funding and partnerships are being actively sought by the FAST team in order to meet these essential requirements.
Please see our sponsorship & donation pages.
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FAST Media contact:
Richard Gardner Tel 01252 515562 fast@richardgardenerassociates.com http://www.airsciences.org.uk
Project Leader:
David Wilson Tel 01420
23644 davanwilson@aol.com
Project Deputy:
Maurice Shakespeare Tel 01252 683773 m.shakespeare@codyflyerproject.com
Information on Samual Franklin Cody:
Jean Roberts Tel 01252 543740 jean@pinehurst112freeserve.co.uk http://www.sfcody.org.uk