Harold Piffard, pictured, became the first person to fly a powered flying machine from Shoreham Airport in July, 1910.

He knew the area well as a former pupil at Lancing College, which overlooks the site.

His flight followed a series of early experiments with a machine called Humming Bird which was not a success.

After a series of crashes due to structural failures and engine problems, he built a second machine, Humming Bird Mk II for sea travel - adding floats - and carried out sea trials from the beach at Bungalow Town, Shoreham Beach. However, these also ended in failure and on one occasion the seaplane sank below the waves.

Disheartened by his efforts and unable to raise the money to continue with his work, he faded away as other more successful pilots came on to the scene.

He died in 1938 aged 72.

The Shoreham Airport Historical Association is building a full-size replica of Humming Bird, which it hopes to complete in time for the centenary celebrations in 2010.

This plane and others flown by early pilots will be shown in films at the Moving Picture Show at Amberley Working Museum on Saturday Nov 17 and Sunday Nov 18 between 10am and 5pm.

There will be two screens showing everything from transport pioneers to how people lived worked and played long ago.

For more details, call Amberley Working Museum on 01798 831370 or visit www.amberleymuseum.co.uk.

The photographs are courtesy of Cinemedia-Shoreham Airport Historical Association.