WA Army Museum-35

Sidcot Flying Suit with Private Pattern Flying Helmet. Frederick Sidney Cotton OBE was an Australian inventor, photographer and aviation pioneer, responsible for developing an early colour film process and largely responsible for the development of photographic reconnaissance before and during the Second World War. Cotton joined the Royal Naval Air Service in November 1915 and after only 5 hours solo flying qualified as a combat pilot. Cotton went on to participate in night bombing sorties over France and Germany. His experience with high level and low-temperature flying let Cotton to develop the revolutionary new ‘Sidcot’ flying suit in 1917 to help keep pilots warm in the cockpit. This flying suit was widely used until the 1950’s. Photo: Julian Tennant