06/30/2009. The Shadow was designed, built and flight tested by Dave Cook of Framlingham, Suffolk, UK, in 1983. It set an FAI world speed record of 78.52 mph (126.36 kmh) over an 1.86 mls (3 km) course on August 4, 1983, followed on March 3, 1984, by a distance record of 338.97 mls (545.52 km).

Production started in January 1984 by CFM Metal-Fax Ltd. (CFM stood for Cook Flying Machines) at Leiston, Suffolk. Since the type has set several records and won countless prizes and awards all over the world. CFM Metal-Fax Ltd. came to grief in 1997, the assets were bought by CFM Aircraft Ltd., and production continues at the original plant.