Australian aviator Sidney Cotton was known for developing innovative aerial reconnaissance methods and equipment before and during World War II. He also lived an adventurous and nontraditional life, never being one to accept authority. What some don’t know about Cotton is that author Ian Fleming based his character of James Bond on Cotton.
Sidney Cotton Begins Flying in World War One
Cotton was born on 17 June 1894 in Queensland, Australia. His ancestors had faced several betrayals from the British and Russian governments, which led them to move to Australia. Based on these experiences, Cotton may have learned the concept of challenging authority at an early age.
Cotton’s first experience doing things his way was in 1914, at the start of World War I. His father told him he could not join the war effort with the Australian Imperial Force. In 1915, following the German sinking of the RMS Lusitania, Cotton enlisted anyway and headed for England.
Always looking for adventure, Cotton signed up for pilot training with the Royal Naval Air Service at Chingford Aerodrome near London. The unit was training on the French Farman Longhorn, a 1912 model reconnaissance and training plane. It had a Renault 51kW and flew at a maximum speed of 56 miles per hour.
Cotton Makes First Solo Flight with Almost No Training
In Cotton’s autobiography, Aviator Extraordinary: The Sidney Cotton Story, he describes his first solo flight. His instructor mistakenly thought Cotton had enough training to be ready to solo. With almost zero experience and training, Cotton climbed into the cockpit.
“It was make ‘em or break ‘em alright,” wrote Cotton. “There was nothing I could do but open the throttle and go to my death.”
Cotton completed the flight and landed safely. He enjoyed it so much that he wanted to take off again that same day.
Sidney Cotton’s First Invention
During the war, he flew aerial reconnaissance patrols over the English Channel and bombing missions over France and Germany. During these war patrols, he also developed his first invention, the “Sidcot” flying suit, to keep pilots warm. The Sidcot was a one-piece cotton outer liner with a rubberized inner liner. According to some reports, the famed German pilot Baron Von Richthofen, the “Red Baron,” was wearing a “Sidcot” when he was shot down. There was no proof regarding whether he got the suit from a downed British or American pilot or another source.
In the years following the First World War, Cotton continued to fly and also started several businesses. Some succeeded, and more failed. He became interested in aerial reconnaissance and, in 1933, purchased part of a company called Dufaycolor that produced color prints. After some initial success, he got into trouble for unpaid British taxes and needed money. Also, during those years, he divorced his first wife and gained a reputation as someone often seeking casual affairs with women.
Secret Aerial Reconnaissance Missions During Buildup to World War II
A new opportunity came to Cotton in 1938. As the UK saw the growing threat from Nazi Germany, they needed photographs of German installations and troop movements. Fred Winterbotham, Chief of British Air Intelligence, asked Cotton if he would perform aerial photography for them. This arrangement would include giving him the use of a plane, a 1936 Lockheed 12A Electra Junior, and a large budget to cover his expenses.
The plane is an eight-seat, six-passenger twin-engine transport aircraft designed by Lockheed for small airlines, companies, and wealthy individuals.
Cotton immediately accepted the assignment. His mission was to pose as a civilian photographer and secretly fly to and from Germany, taking photographs. For the next two years, he flew all over Europe, focusing mainly on photographing German and Italian operations.
Cotton Customizes Plane with Cameras
Once Cotton received his plane, he customized it for his secret missions. He installed two cameras in the plane’s belly and others in the side windows. He also said he put cameras in the wing leading edges. Constantly innovating, Cotton also modified the plane to direct warm air at the camera lenses to prevent fogging.
Some of the cameras were mapping designs that provided images of German territories. Despite some inconsistent reports, Cotton provided a very useful service to the UK military. According to some accounts, his work may have saved thousands of lives.
Outrageous stories from Cotton
Cotton also told several outrageous stories about his aerial reconnaissance missions. He claimed to have taken Luftwaffe Chief of Staff Albert Kesselring on several flights. According to Cotton, while Kesselring was preoccupied looking outside the plane, he reached under his seat and secretly operated the cameras. Cotton added that this allowed him to photograph key German positions like the Siegfried Line.
One verified story is that Cotton was in Germany in the days before the beginning of the Second World War. He was about to fly Nazi Party leader Herman Goring to England for negotiations, but the Germancanceleded the plan. Cotton made the last flight out of Berlin before the war started.
Stories like this helped give Cotton the reputation of a somewhat unconventional aviator willing to take risks. They also created some doubts. In 1940, a German parachute bomb struck the hangar in Heston, UK, containing Cotton’s plane.
Renovations Cast Doubts on Modifications to Plane
The plane ended up in the United States for repairs and renovations, and it still flies today. During the renovations, crews discovered things that cast doubts on some of Cotton’s stories. For example, he claimed that the belly cameras sat under the floor, unseen by passengers. Crews discovered this was impossible due to the size of the cameras.
Cotton had also stated that he had installed windshield wiper motors that could uncover the cameras in the wingtips during flight. Again, this was not true. There were no motors or even mounts for any cameras or components to open covers. In fact, Cotton would have had to open the covers manually before flight, which the Germans would have seen.
Cotton Assumes Command of Photographic Unit During the Second World War
Once the war began, Cotton took command of the RAF Photographic Development Unit. It had his Lockheed Electra and four Spitfire fighters. Along with the Electra, Cotton fitted the fighters with cameras, and they achieved some impressive results. On one aerial reconnaissance mission, the Spitfires flew at 30,000 feet and photographed 400 German tanks parked under trees and other camouflage.
In the first few months of the war, the Royal Air Force lost 40 aircraft while trying to photograph 2500 square miles in Europe. At the same time, Cotton’s Spitfires photographed over 5000 square miles with no losses.
Despite Cotton’s successes, he never handled authority very well. Some called his unit the “Cotton Club,” and a memo from that time referred to it as “a law unto itself.” In 1940, the RAF relieved him of his command, and he resigned his commission.
Inspiration for James Bond
One of the most interesting parts of Cotton’s wartime experience was his friendship with author Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond. Fleming was a naval intelligence officer at the time. He later credited Cotton as one of his inspirations for James Bond. With Cotton’s strong interests in adventure, gadgets, and women and his disregard for authority, this is not surprising.
On the front of Aviator Extraordinary, Cotton includes a quote from Henry David Thoreau, which provides a clear hint regarding his personality: “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music that he hears.”
