SIX SOAR-AWAY STAMPS MARK TWO MAJOR AVIATION ANNIVERSARIES FOR FARNBOROUGH

Ready for take off! Six new soar-away stamps on sale 17th July mark two key aviation anniversaries for Farnborough – the centenary of powered flight in the UK by Samuel Cody and the 60th anniversary of the Farnborough Air Show.

The Royal Mail Air Displays stamps were unveiled at North Camp Carnival as the theme of the procession was flying to mark Farnborough’s two special anniversaries.

Large blow ups of the six new dramatic Air Displays stamps were paraded through the streets by local families in flying related costumes from St Peter’s toddler groups, Farnborough and St Mary’s Toddler Group, Ash Vale,.

Two stamp images were taken at previous Farnborough Air Shows - a boy watching a Red Arrow’s Display in 2006 and iconic Vulcan planes in 1953. A rare Vulcan aircraft will make its post-restoration flying debut at Farnborough this year.

This year’s carnival has generated a huge amount of community interest because of its flying theme as aviation is so important to local people historically and economically and because the biennial international air show puts Farnborough firmly on the map.

American-born Samuel Cody was a very colourful character who had been a successful Wild West Showman in America. He was a gifted daredevil horse rider and trick shooter and he came to Britain to start a similar show.

He used kite displays during the daytime to attract interest to his shows, but he then had the idea of using kites for military observation, instead of using balloons as these could not be used during strong winds. The war kite idea led to Cody being employed by Farnborough Balloon School.

Cody then progressed to a motorised kite and this developed to airships and aeroplanes. On October 16th 1908 Cody made the world’s first heavier than air the first powered flight it lasted for 27 seconds feet at a height of 30 feet. Cody then made major improvements which increased the endurance of his planes.

Cody lived in Pinehurst, Mytchett and Vale Croft, Lysons Avenue, Ash Vale and built his amazing planes in Farnborough. Sadly Farnborough was also the site of Cody’s fatal plane crash at Ball Hill - where QinetiQ’s Cody Technology Park now stands.

Although a civilian, Cody was buried with full military honours in the Aldershot Military Cemetery with his funeral procession drawing an estimated crowd of 100,000.

Cody’s great grandsons John and Peter Cody still live respectively in Ash Vale and Farnborough and run Cody Cars based in Lysons Avenue, Farnborough. The brothers are a mine of information about Samuel Cody and still have lots of memorabilia, some of which is on loan to the Aldershot Military Museum. They are often asked to give talks about Cody nicknamed the “Flying Cowboy”.

Peter and John Cody have also helped FAST (Farnborough Air Services Trust) to build a replica of their great grandfather’s historic aeroplane as they help found some aeroplane parts that Cody had commissioned.

Martine Munby, Royal Mail’s Head of External relations said: “Farnborough has a long history of involvement with aviation. In fact it probably can claim to have a closer, more continuous association with man’s conquest of the air than anyone else. Samuel Cody was a remarkable man and these stamps pay tribute to his successful pioneering powered plane.”

“The chosen stamps illustrate just some of the displays enjoyed at Farnborough and at other venues in the UK. They show the thrill and excitement of Air Displays throughout the last century.”