The Flying Cathedral. The Story of Samuel Franklin Cody - Texan Cowboy, Bronco Buster, Frontiersman, Circus Sharpshooter, Horse Track Racer, Showman, Barnstormer, Man-carrying Kite Inventor and Pioneer British Aviator

272pp, some black and white photographic plates. Purple cloth-covered boards; pale blue titles on spine. 8vo. Sun-faded board edges, rubbed front corners and spine ends, bump to top front edge. Text block edges just starting to tan. Volume a little shaken. Otherwise, internally neat, clean and bright. Dust jacket has small closed tears, chipping to edges, mirrors book damage, price clipped. Samuel Cody (born Cowdery) was a Wild West showman and a flamboyant early aviation pioneer.  He developed the large kites known as Cody War-Kites,  used by the British before World War I as a smaller alternative to balloons for artillery spotting. In October 1908 he became the first person to pilot  a British-made aircraft.