Hiding in plain sight: Photo-mapping Nazi Germany
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- čas přidán 19. 12. 2023
- Looks can be deceiving. It may not be apparent, on first inspection of this civilian aircraft, that this was one of Britain's first spy planes.
In the years before the Second World War, this aircraft would have gone relatively unnoticed in the skies of Europe. The Lockheed Electra was a perfect camera platform. It could be fitted with cameras in the cabin and in the leading edge of the wing. And it meant that with its inconspicuous livery, it could fly around as much as an airliner would have done in Europe at the time. And while flying over Germany and the rest of Europe, it was able to take photographs.
There are many myths and legends that have built up around this aircraft, but a name that will always be associated with this particular Lockheed 12 is Sidney Cotton. But what exactly was Sidney Cotton’s involvement with Second World War aerial reconnaissance and did he really use this aircraft to take secret photos, under the noses of Nazi Germany?
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Lufthansa was quite busy over the skies of Britain at the same time .
Wow! I thought I was reasonably knowledgeable about world war two, being almost 70 and having family members that served in all the services apart from the navy and serving as a soldier myself, as did other family members after the war, but I had never heard of Sidney Cotton until I watched this excellent video.
The Electra is one of the most beautiful airplanes ever.
An RAF reconnaissance pilot, who flew the Bristol Blenheim, from the outbreak of WW2 until Dunkirk is Alistair Panton. He records the fascinating story of flying Blenheims through the fall of France and until the final Fall of France in his book, "Six Weeks of Blenheim Summer", available as an Audible audio-book or in print. [This is an update.] It's not a particularly long book, but is fascinating for covering a period we seldom hear about. I definitely recommend Panton's book as a fascinating story of what happened in this period.
The vintage Electra series are a beautiful aircraft!
Mr. Cottons' actions took a fair amount of courage to perform. Whatever his grievances were with the RAF, if he'd been allowed to continue his work, Mr. Cotton may have been able to devise more sophisticated equipment and processes in photo intelligence if he had continuede.
Wow, from the photo at the 7.10 mark he even flew his Electra over the Mohne dam after the dambusters had dealt to it in May 1943. Incredible stuff. 😂
If the SIDCOT Suit was an innovation, why did Fighter Command pilots wear uniform shirt and tie during the Battle of Britain?
I remember an article by the guy who found it. He thought no it couldn't be and when he looked the camera hatches were still there. I believe it was found in south America.
Making pictures while german officers are on board. Thats... Impressive
Thanks for this video in remembrance of Sydney Cotton's important pioneering aerial photographs. Imagery intelligence is a vital mission, hardly ever discussed due to its secret nature. You are correct in regard that it's the interpretation of the imagery that's important. Wartime aerial photography analysts were known to have "calibrated eyeballs."
I remember seeing (somewhere!) a sideways-looking photo taken from a low flying PRU Spitfire so far down on the deck of a German airfield that a guy at the control tower railing is looking down at it.
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Did Mr cotton ever write a book about his life? As would be a fascinating read?
It would have been George Able Tare Fox Love back in the day.
I recently had two paintings of this aircraft commissioned. It's history is wonderful! I fell in love with it at first site!
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WTH is Eye Tea Percent?
Very interesting and amazing revelations. It is worth pointing out that the Blenheim was developed from an aircraft designed by Bristol after seeing the Electra in the USA. This prototype was named Britain First and was faster than the Electra- reaching 307mph and was given to the nation to be evaluated as a basis for a bomber- which became the Blenheim. There was no reason why a Blenheim stripped of its military encumbrances could not have been used for photo reconnaissance other than the fact that the Electra was a known civilian aircraft and could be a "wolf in sheep's clothing" whereas the Blenheim was a known bomber and would arouse suspicion. Of course, later on, the Mosquito became arguably the greatest photo reconnaissance aircraft of them all.
So, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, when the U.K or U.S do it, it’s called “reconnaissance”. When anyone else does it, it’s called “spying”.