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Major SS (or FS) Cotton


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#1 sramoa

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Posted 05 February 2012 - 12:24

Who was he?
I find his name for 1936 Vanderbilt Cup with ERA R1A car entered T. H. Morris #37,but raced Brian Lewis.I find any websites for SS Carson and SS Cotton and F s Cotton and Major Cotton...I never see his name for any entry lists...
This car was a works car(If I know)

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#2 Roger Clark

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Posted 05 February 2012 - 13:20

The question was asked on Facebook recently. This was Adam Ferrington's answer:

He was Frederick Sidney Cotton, an Australian-born, UK-based businessman. As far as can be ascertained this was the only race which he entered during his brief ownership of ERA R1A. An article appeared on him in the ERA Club Newsletter 3 or 4 years ago.


#3 Vitesse2

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Posted 05 February 2012 - 13:39

I suspect he's one of those people who might be described as "colourful". This a report of a libel action from The Times of October 8th 1958:

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Ten years or so before he'd been involved in gun-running. On a considerable scale, apparently. Again from The Times, May 18th 1949:

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#4 sramoa

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Posted 05 February 2012 - 16:56

Thanks these fast replies!

#5 Catalina Park

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Posted 06 February 2012 - 10:53

Sidney Cotton was a very interesting character, WW1 pilot and inventor of the SidCot flying suit. A sort of a spy and a bit of a shyster.

Take a look at http://en.wikipedia....i/Sidney_Cotton

#6 Vitesse2

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Posted 06 February 2012 - 11:07

Having read that, I realised I had come across his photo-recce exploits in Germany before, although I wouldn't have remembered the name or connected it to motor racing!

There's also another motor racing connection there, as one of the pilots in 1 PRU was AFP Fane.

#7 john medley

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Posted 08 February 2012 - 09:01

There is much more (Cotton's wife rallied a lot, for example, with Kay Petre and Joan Richmond involved I think) : Read the book : Last Plane Out of Berlin (cant recall author) OR check out John Medley " John Snow Classic Motor Racer" ( available from Chaters in UK) -- includes a photo of Cotton in ERA at Roosevelt Field 1936

#8 Roger Clark

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Posted 08 February 2012 - 21:00

The book “Sidney Cotton – The last plane out of Berlin” was written by Jeffrey Watson published by Hodder Australia in 2002. ISBN 0 7336 1827 8. The article on Cotton mentioned in post 2 appeared in the ERA Club newsletter, Spring 2007. Copies may be available from the club. http://www.eraclub.co.uk/

Research by Adam Ferrington.