Aviator Extraordinary
The Sidney Cotton Story
as told to Ralph Barker

Sidney Cotton was born in 1894 in Queensland Australia. He became an inventor, photographer and aviation and photography pioneer. He was responsible for developing a method of early colour film and photographic reconnaissance which was used before and during WWII.

During WW1 he came to Britain and joined the Royal Naval Air Service.  After only five hours solo flying, he qualified as a combat pilot and flew patrols of the English Channel. He went on to participate in night bombing raids over France and Germany with Nos. 3 and 5 Wings. His experience with high level and low-temperature flying led Cotton in 1917 to develop the revolutionary new "Sidcot" flying suit, which solved the problem pilots had in keeping warm in the cockpit.

Hard Cover book, 297 pages, with 7 pages of Index

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 26 December 2009

This page last updated 03 April 2023