Sfarfey Cowwe and the Beatty Biplane

摘要

In its issue of October 18, 1917, at the foot of a column on page 1079 headed "Fatal Accidents", Flight tersely recorded, "A pilot instructor, S.G. Cownie, was accidentally killed while flying". The death of one little-known pilot was evidently of no great significance in the middle of the First World War, especially if he had not died in action. However, the story behind this tragedy is rather more interesting than that insignificant entry might lead one to believe. Stanley George Cownie, born in London on June 2, 1897, underwent his flying tuition at the Hall Flying School at the London Aerodrome, Hendon, in 1916, being awarded Royal Aero Club Certificate No 3324 on August 8 that year.