Australian aviation inventions on TV

[red750]

Channel Two's program Australian Inventions That Changed the World tonight honoured four aviation inventions and their inventors - Lawrence Hargraves glider, David Warren's Black Box, Jack Grant's inflatable evacuation slide/life raft, and the aboriginal boomerang. You may be able to catch up with it on Iview.

[pmccarthy]

I had just written an item about Australian aviation inventions for our aero club newsletter, I missed Warren and Grant. But they missed Sidney Cotton and Alf Traeger, who made the flying doctor possible.

[FlyBoy1960]

Wasn't the flying Dr all started by John Flynn ?

 

Anyway, I saw the program and thought it was really good

[old man emu]

Alf Traeger was the person who created the pedal wireless, which provided the necessary communication method between those needing help and the RFDS. 

 

Sidney Cotton, immediately prior to WWII, used his private plane to take photos of Luftwaffe airfields. In fact on one occasion he was flying around with a high ranking Luftwaffe officer who was virtually sitting on top of Cotton's hidden camera as it took photos. When the war started he established the RAAF's Photo Reconnaissance Unit. He was a bit of an Aussie rogue who would have been at home amongst some of the Corporate crims we know today.

[pmccarthy]

Sidney Cotton invented the Sidcot flying suit in 1917. It was so popular that the Red Baron was wearing a purloined one when he was shot down. Later Amy Johnson wore one.

[Jabiru7252]

Peter Drinkholder came up with the idea of having holes in things where you could put your coffee cup etc.

[facthunter]

It was always necessary to be able to hold your drink. (or appear as though you did.)  Nev

[Old Koreelah]

On 09/04/2021 at 8:37 AM, FlyBoy1960 said:

Wasn't the flying Dr all started by John Flynn ?

Yes, but he wouldn’t allow his doctors to do their own flying, so this bloke set up his own operation:

https://www.northweststar.com.au/story/5399449/meet-clyde-fenton-the-maverick-flying-doctor/

A quite entertaining book:

https://www.amazon.com/Flying-Doctor-Clyde-Fenton/dp/0724505318