Talk:Samuel Franklin Cody

message: The date of the photo in the lead has recently been changed from 1906 to 1908 on the grounds that Cody is in front of what is clearly an aeroplane. I have suggested on the maintenance talk page on the Commons that, due to the aileron behind his head, 1909 might be more likely. — Cheers, Steelpillow (Talk) 11:23, 1 September 2014 (UTC)
replies: text: It has to be after mid-1909, since before then the pilots position of the British Army Aeroplane was behind the engine.  I'm also dubious abot the date on the photo of him in Wild West gear: the date given is the publication dte from the archive from which it comes, but both costume & Cody's appearance suggest that it is earlier.TheLongTone (talk) 13:53, 1 September 2014 (UTC)
replies: text: Perhaps we need to find out where it came from, at http://www3.hants.gov.uk/cody.jpg is a smaller image but not cropped as much but showing more of a crowd behind him. MilborneOne (talk) 18:19, 1 September 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  Date of lead photo 

message: "Simplicate and add lightness" is an aphorism used by S F Cody, when asked about his aircraft design philosophy. I read this in an aviation book during the 1950's. The quote is also attributed to other people, well after Cody's death. I remember the book was large but not thick, with many photographs. If anyone can confirm or provide a reference for that quote, please add those to the article. GilesW (talk) 18:13, 2 January 2016 (UTC)
replies: text: It's more usually attributed to Ed Heinemann of Douglas A-4 Skyhawk fame I think. It doesn't seem particularly likely for Cody, as his aircraft weren't that light for the time - although he dis have an appreciation of the benefits of size and power.Nigel Ish (talk) 19:29, 2 January 2016 (UTC)
replies: text: W£hat on earth does "simplicate" mean? It's an overlong and overweight word.TheLongTone (talk) 14:48, 3 January 2016 (UTC)

text: O sorry, yes. Cody did make  up words. Like NigelIsh I just thought of Heineman.TheLongTone (talk) 22:08, 20 January 2016 (UTC)
thread_title:  "Simplicate and add lightness" 

message: Cody's flying helmet is not significant. A photo of it adds nothing to the article except clutter. — Cheers, Steelpillow (Talk) 20:39, 29 June 2021 (UTC)
replies: text: Tend to disagree. Surely one of the few personal items belonging to Cody that still exists and a prized possession of the Aldershot Military Museum? Gamages was an iconic UK retail business:  Martinevans123 (talk) 20:57, 29 June 2021 (UTC)
replies: text: Surely not. A large collection of his kiting stuff and other memorabilia has been preserved and was sold to an American buyer only a few years ago, the claim that it is one of the few items known is utterly false. Such an item only has encyclopedic relevance if sufficient RS discuss it, but the article text does not mention the helmet at all. And good grief! Is Wikipedia to illustrate everything that was ever bought at a once-famous department store and still survives? That's just ridiculous. No, unless someone can dig up RS documenting enough significant encyclopedic information to give it some useful treatment in the main text (and I don't mean just fancruft!), the image is out of place here. — Cheers, Steelpillow (Talk) 10:09, 30 June 2021 (UTC)
replies: text: Not sure where I suggested Wikipedia should "illustrate everything that was ever bought at a once-famous department store and still survives". I don't think the image is "out of place" at all, although I agree an RS would better establish it's notability. Are there any available images of the "large collection of his kiting stuff and other memorabilia"? No objection to their being considered also. Happy to see other views on this image. Martinevans123 (talk) 15:07, 30 June 2021 (UTC)
replies: text: I don't see that the image adds anything useful to the article. It is basically miscellaneous WP:TRIVIA, in an article that already has a lot of images included. It is there on commons along with a lot of other Cody-related images, if anyone wants to see it. - Ahunt (talk) 15:46, 30 June 2021 (UTC)
replies: text: I disagree. Apart from the image of "The wreckage of Cody's fatal air crash", there's no image that ties him directly and personally to being an aviator? Martinevans123 (talk) 15:58, 30 June 2021 (UTC)
replies: text: If you want a good aviation image, there are some far more appropriate ones on the Commons. But please take care not to mess up the page layout. — Cheers, Steelpillow (Talk) 16:29, 30 June 2021 (UTC)

text: I may have got confused between his archive rather than his kites, it was a few years ago now. Here is a link to the archive auction page: AVIATION: THE CODY ARCHIVE. CODY, SAMUEL FRANKLIN. 1867-1913., Bonhams, 2014. — Cheers, Steelpillow (Talk) 16:27, 30 June 2021 (UTC)
thread_title:  Flying helmet