Sir Alan Cobham is regarded by many as the visionary who made the largest individual contribution to the cause of British civil aviation.
Graduating from early joy-riding operations he became Geoffrey de Havilland's first and, subsequently, senior pilot and undertook many long-distance route-proving flights throughout the 1920s. His determination to bring aviation to the people and officialdom alike resulted in aerial tours which spanned the length and breadth of the United Kingdom and produced some 1,000 'Flying Circus' performances during the years 1932-35.
Cobham founded Flight Refuelling Ltd in 1934 to develop equipment and methods for transferring fuel in flight. Although never used on civil passenger-carrying flights, air-to-air refuelling has long been a crucial operation in military operations and is routinely practised by the world's major air forces.
Today the Cobham organisation's aerial activities are undertaken by FR Aviation Ltd, thereby continuing well into the future, the association between flying and this famous family name.
As archivist for the Cobham group, the author has been given an unparalleled opportunity to present many previously unpublished photographs of Britain's unique air pioneer, his family and their achievements.