Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Fighter Aviation Engineering's superb Lockheed model 12A Electra Junior, G-AFTL, displaying at Sywell Airshow 2024.
This Lockheed 12A is one of the most historic remaining photo-reconnaissance aircraft. It returned to the UK in May 2022. It was restored for its new owner by Air Leasing at Sywell and completed its first post restoration flight on 27 March 2023.
The aircraft was produced by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation at Burbank, California in 1936 and went onto the US register as NC16077 with Continental Oil Co, Ponca City, Oklahoma. On 24 April 1939 it was sold to experienced Australian pilot, inventor and business entrepreneur, Frederick Sidney Cotton, who had served with the British Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) during WW1.
In September 1938 during the Sudetenland crisis, Cotton had been approached by agents of the French 'Deuxième Bureau' to do spy flights. On 25 March 1939, using the cover of a newly founded dummy corporation, the 'Aeronautical Research and Sales Corporation' of London, Cotton started spy flights over Germany, Italy and Libya, using another Lockheed 12A, G-AFKR. He was then recruited to do similar flights by MI6, so stopped work for the 'Deuxième Bureau' leaving G-AFKR with them. MI6 provided him with this Lockheed 12A instead.
It was partially dismantled and shipped from the USA to England on board the SS 'Aquitania'. Upon arrival it was assembled at Eastleigh, Southampton and painted in a light green colour, for camouflage against the sky. It was flown by Sidney Cotton and R.H. Niven from Eastleigh to Heston on 11 May. On 15 May it was registered to British Airways Ltd, as a cover for its real ownership and purpose.
It was modified with two extra 70 gallon fuel tanks fitted in the cabin. This increased its range from 700 to 1600 miles. Although Lockheed agreed that the extra fuel load was within the aircraft's capabilities, the authorities ruled that fuel loaded should be well below the maximum capacity. Cotton decided that the tanks would be 'accidentally' filled to capacity when needed. For downward visibility, Cotton invented the teardrop window which he fitted in place of the Lockheed's side cockpit window. The Triplex company manufactured about 100,000 of these windows during the war but Cotton claimed no royalties as they were fitted only to military aircraft. One day at Heston, Cotton was watching the departure of the Maharajah of Jodhpur in his private aircraft, another Lockheed 12A G-AFXP, when he noticed that the aircraft disappeared from view shortly after take-off. The aircraft was painted a pale duck egg green colour and Cotton concluded that it had blended with the sky. Cotton requested the Titanine Dope Company to make up a similar paint, slightly lighter in hue, and registered it as 'Camotint'. This paint was then applied to this aircraft.
In July 1939, Cotton flew the aircraft to Germany at the invitation of a business associate, Herr Schoene, who was involved with Cotton in the marketing of 'Dufaycolor' film. Schoene had influential friends, one of whom was Hermann Goering. In order to photograph German industrial installations, Cotton had two German Leica cameras fitted behind close-fitting sliding panels under the wings. The panels were powered by an electric motor controlled by a switch hidden under the pilot's seat and could take 250 exposures each. He also carried two other cameras hidden in the cabin. He flew back to Heston with the photos and then returned to Germany for a flying rally at Frankfurt, at the invitation of the Commandant of Tempelhof Airport. Cotton's 'Kolossal Lockheed' drew great interest and the Commandant requested a flight. Cotton had been asked to get photos of Mannheim, so he said that a favourite aunt of his had enthused about the beautiful scenery along the Rhine at Mannheim. The flight was authorised and Cotton got the photos. On the eve of war, he even managed to engineer a joy-ride over German military airfields on one occasion, accompanied by senior Luftwaffe officer Albert Kesselring. With Kesselring at the controls, Cotton reached under his seat, operated the cameras, and captured the airfields on film.
With preparations for war proceeding, close associates of Goering reported that they believed Britain would not go to war over the invasion of Poland. Cotton believed that war could be averted if Goering could be persuaded otherwise, so he offered to fly Goering to England for discussions. Preparations were well under way but Cotton was forced to leave Germany as war was too close. Lockheed 12A G-AFTL was the last civilian aircraft to leave Germany before war was declared.
During WW2 Cotton continued with aerial photography for the military, whose own attempts had proved unsuccessful. The unit, No. 2 Camouflage Unit, initially used Blenheims which were later replaced by Spitfires.
This Video and Audio content is
Copyright © StephenKeeler (HightFlight/SkyHighFlightTV) All Rights Reserved
Fighter Aviation Engineering's superb Lockheed model 12A Electra Junior, G-AFTL, displaying at Sywell Airshow 2024.
This Lockheed 12A is one of the most historic remaining photo-reconnaissance aircraft. It returned to the UK in May 2022. It was restored for its new owner by Air Leasing at Sywell and completed its first post restoration flight on 27 March 2023.
The aircraft was produced by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation at Burbank, California in 1936 and went onto the US register as NC16077 with Continental Oil Co, Ponca City, Oklahoma. On 24 April 1939 it was sold to experienced Australian pilot, inventor and business entrepreneur, Frederick Sidney Cotton, who had served with the British Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) during WW1.
In September 1938 during the Sudetenland crisis, Cotton had been approached by agents of the French 'Deuxième Bureau' to do spy flights. On 25 March 1939, using the cover of a newly founded dummy corporation, the 'Aeronautical Research and Sales Corporation' of London, Cotton started spy flights over Germany, Italy and Libya, using another Lockheed 12A, G-AFKR. He was then recruited to do similar flights by MI6, so stopped work for the 'Deuxième Bureau' leaving G-AFKR with them. MI6 provided him with this Lockheed 12A instead.
It was partially dismantled and shipped from the USA to England on board the SS 'Aquitania'. Upon arrival it was assembled at Eastleigh, Southampton and painted in a light green colour, for camouflage against the sky. It was flown by Sidney Cotton and R.H. Niven from Eastleigh to Heston on 11 May. On 15 May it was registered to British Airways Ltd, as a cover for its real ownership and purpose.
It was modified with two extra 70 gallon fuel tanks fitted in the cabin. This increased its range from 700 to 1600 miles. Although Lockheed agreed that the extra fuel load was within the aircraft's capabilities, the authorities ruled that fuel loaded should be well below the maximum capacity. Cotton decided that the tanks would be 'accidentally' filled to capacity when needed. For downward visibility, Cotton invented the teardrop window which he fitted in place of the Lockheed's side cockpit window. The Triplex company manufactured about 100,000 of these windows during the war but Cotton claimed no royalties as they were fitted only to military aircraft. One day at Heston, Cotton was watching the departure of the Maharajah of Jodhpur in his private aircraft, another Lockheed 12A G-AFXP, when he noticed that the aircraft disappeared from view shortly after take-off. The aircraft was painted a pale duck egg green colour and Cotton concluded that it had blended with the sky. Cotton requested the Titanine Dope Company to make up a similar paint, slightly lighter in hue, and registered it as 'Camotint'. This paint was then applied to this aircraft.
In July 1939, Cotton flew the aircraft to Germany at the invitation of a business associate, Herr Schoene, who was involved with Cotton in the marketing of 'Dufaycolor' film. Schoene had influential friends, one of whom was Hermann Goering. In order to photograph German industrial installations, Cotton had two German Leica cameras fitted behind close-fitting sliding panels under the wings. The panels were powered by an electric motor controlled by a switch hidden under the pilot's seat and could take 250 exposures each. He also carried two other cameras hidden in the cabin. He flew back to Heston with the photos and then returned to Germany for a flying rally at Frankfurt, at the invitation of the Commandant of Tempelhof Airport. Cotton's 'Kolossal Lockheed' drew great interest and the Commandant requested a flight. Cotton had been asked to get photos of Mannheim, so he said that a favourite aunt of his had enthused about the beautiful scenery along the Rhine at Mannheim. The flight was authorised and Cotton got the photos. On the eve of war, he even managed to engineer a joy-ride over German military airfields on one occasion, accompanied by senior Luftwaffe officer Albert Kesselring. With Kesselring at the controls, Cotton reached under his seat, operated the cameras, and captured the airfields on film.
With preparations for war proceeding, close associates of Goering reported that they believed Britain would not go to war over the invasion of Poland. Cotton believed that war could be averted if Goering could be persuaded otherwise, so he offered to fly Goering to England for discussions. Preparations were well under way but Cotton was forced to leave Germany as war was too close. Lockheed 12A G-AFTL was the last civilian aircraft to leave Germany before war was declared.
During WW2 Cotton continued with aerial photography for the military, whose own attempts had proved unsuccessful. The unit, No. 2 Camouflage Unit, initially used Blenheims which were later replaced by Spitfires.
This Video and Audio content is
Copyright © StephenKeeler (HightFlight/SkyHighFlightTV) All Rights Reserved
