Dates

Event

Constructed as a L-12A.

1 October 1938

To Continental Oil Company with new c/r NC16077.

15 May 1939

To British Airways, Heston, London with new c/r G-AFTL (LOCKHEED 12A, 1203).

8 June 1939

To Aeronautical Research and Sales Corporation London keeping c/r G-AFTL.

Shortly before the Second World War, Sidney Cotton was recruited by Fred Winterbotham (then of MI6) to take clandestine aerial photographs of the German military buildup. Using his status as a wealthy and prominent private aviator currently promoting his film business (and using a series of other subterfuges including taking on the guise of an archaeologist or a film producer looking for locations), a series of flights provided valuable information about German naval activity and troop buildups. He equipped the civilian Lockheed 12A business aircraft, G-AFTL, with three F24 cameras concealed behind panels which could be slid aside and operated by pressing a button under the pilots seat, and a Leica behind a similar panel in the wings.Warm cabin air was diverted to prevent condensation on optical surfaces. Cotton took his secretary Patricia Martin along, and she too took photographs in flight. Although his flight plans were dictated by the German government, he consistently managed to get away with flying off-track over military installations. Cotton had a very persuasive manner, and exploited any advantage he couldIn 1939, Cotton took aerial photos during a flight over parts of the Middle East and North Africa. On the eve of war, he even managed to engineer a joy-ride over German military airfields on one occasion, accompanied by senior Luftwaffe officer Albert Kesselring. With Kesselring at the controls, Cotton reached under his seat, operated the cameras, and captured the airfield on film. Cotton later offered to fly Hermann Goring to London for talks a week before outbreak of hostilities, and claimed that his was the last civilian aircraft to leave Berlin before the outbreak of hostilities.

24 November 1942

To Lowell Yerex, Tegucigalpa, British Honduras keeping c/r G-AFTL.

5 January 1943

Civil registration, G-AFTL, cancelled.

To British West Indian Airways with new c/r VP-TAI.

April 1948

To Dan Hartman, Miami, FL with new c/r N1161V.

19 September 1965

Involved in an incident.
Summarized NTSB narrative from report number MKC66F0273: There were no fatalities. Incident occurred at 12:50 hours. The damage was substantial. Incident occurred at the Kansas City Airport, Kansas City, MO. Landed wheels up on touch down.
For a complete description of the event read the NTSB Report.

27 April 1978

Certificate of airworthiness for N12EJ (12A, 1203) issued.

10 July 1990

To Steve R. Oliver, Forest Grove, OR with new c/r N12EJ.

23 November 2005

To Sally M. Runyan, Vancouver, WA keeping c/r N12EJ.

2 December 2015

To Aerospace Trust Management Llc Trustee, Wilmington, DE keeping c/r N12EJ.

1 December 2021

To unknown owner with c/r N12EJ.
Sale reported to a new owner in Cerny.

Photographer: Fred Taylor
Notes: Following it is restoration to flying condition at Sywell, G-AFTL is seen here at Duxford on 29 June 2023.