KITES & KITE FLYING PART 9.

MY 7MT REPLICA CODY KITE



This page is dedicated to my 7mtr. Replica of a Samuel Franklin Cody Kite. It takes almost two hours to assemble, and that is with assistance from as many willing hands............

......as I can get hold of. The sail is constructed from Ripstop Nylon, and I followed the instructions to the letter with regard reinforcement.
There are tension lines all around to keep the sail nice and tight.

I had great difficulty in obtaining the rods, but after much phoning around and many emails, I decided that the only thing for it was to use Bamboo. All other materials were either unsuitable or cost the earth.

But where can you purchase 50mm dia. Bamboo in at least 20 x 3mtr. lengths.
Eventually I contacted a company that deals in Bamboo Furniture and poles JACOBS, YOUNG & WESTBURY of Hayward's Heath.

They ordered my requirements and all I had to do was travel to Newhaven to meet the container from Taiwan and he-presto I was in business.
The local youth club allowed myself and Alan Outram, (without whose help it would still be just a dream) to use their premises to assemble the beast.

Most who saw it said "It will never fly!" but as the picture above shows it did, and good job the wind dropped, because it lifted the rear end of my car off the ground.
And opposite is me accepting the shield for best at the Festival 2000 as my reward. Many thanks to all who gave me their vote.

I would like to say a special thanks to the late Samuel Franklin Cody opposite, for designing such a wondrful kite, to Alan Outram, Scott Skinner and all at the Drachen Foundation, and last but not least all the lads on the field that day who helped in the maiden flight. Kind regards to you all Pete.

KITES & KITE FLYING PART 9.

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