his flying vehicle machines were photographed. The 1871 census of England and Wales lists his occupation as "Machinist & Photographer". It is recorded that Stringfellow met both Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Marconi, at regular South West Engineering Institution and Royal Society events, enjoying great debate over the science and engineering principles of the day with his fellow engineers. In 1868 he was elected a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society and used his prize money to build a larger workspace for continuing his experiments. However, at nearly 70 years, his sight was beginning to fail and he was unable to make further progress. His 1881 census status is "Retired Mechanician Inventor of Flying Machines". John Stringfellow died in 1883 at the age of 84 and was buried in Chard Cemetery, Somerset, where there is a commemorative family monument. In light of recent research and developments at historical archives, the history and textbooks which presented the view that the Wright Brothers invented powered flight are having to be revised and replaced by the 'true' inventor; John Stringfellow of Chard, awarding him the recognition deserved for his achievement, and of the birthplace of the aviation industry we have today. In addition, he also, at the time of his first flight of ‘Bat’ in 1849, essentially created the worlds first Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV). Stringfellow's first powered flight achievement was referenced in the 1965 film The Flight of the Phoenix. The character Heinrich Dorfmann (Hardy Krüger), a German airplane designer, explains that it was a model airplane that made the first powered flight in 1851 and though his own experience with airplane design is with building models, the principles are the same. His design for an airplane to be built from the scraps of their crashed plane will fly them out of the desert to safety. Stringfellow and Henson are honoured by the Royal Aeronautical Society with an annual lecture and dinner in Yeovil See also Aviation history Frederick Brearey George Cayley, aviation pioneer John Chapman, engineer Stringfellow machine Notes and references Harald Penrose, An Ancient Air: A Biography of John Stringfellow of Chard, The Victorian Aeronautical Pioneer (Shrewsbury, England: Airlife Publishing, Ltd., 1988), 183p., illus. External links BBC: John Stringfellow Hargrave: John Stringfellow Chard Museum Flying Machines: John Stringfellow Aviation pioneers 1799 births Aviation inventors 1883 deaths People from Sheffield Steam-powered aircraft People from Chard, Somerset Engineers from Yorkshire