Page 23 - All About History 48 - 2017 UK

4 FAMOUS…
How not to… perform aerial stunts
Aerial acrobatics was a risky business, Therearecountlesstalesofstunts FLYING CIRCUSES
especially in an era when there were going wrong, from performers falling
no regulations and safety wasn’t off,gettingtangledup,missingthe
paramount.Foreverystuntthatwent laddersthattheywerejumpingfrom
well, there were many that ended in tofull-onplanecrashesintotrees,the
tragedy.Infact,thelongevityofthe groundandeachother.Barnstorming
pilotsandstuntpeoplewassominimal cametoanendasprincipleswere
that promoters stopped putting the introduced throughout the late 1920s
star’s real names on promotional and 1930s that required better safety
posters,givingthemstagenameslike specifications for the planes and also
‘Diavolo’toavoidbeingleftwithreams regulated airspace. The barnstormers
of wasted material should the unlucky pavedthewayformodernAmerican
performerexpireonthejob. aviation,albeitatamajorcost.
THE FIVE BLACKBIRDS
1931-32, LA, USA
Recruited by WWI pilot veteran
William J Powell, the Blackbirds
were the USA’s first all-black
aerobatic team. 40,000 people
watched their first show.

THE13BLACKCATS
1924-29,HOLLYWOOD,USA
These fearless pilots, along with
Plan your stunts Startatour stuntwoman Gladys Ingle, wing
walked with no safety gear, and
Themoredaring,terrifyingandastoundingthebetter. It’s time to hit the skies. A great many small towns and Gladyswouldleapbetweenplanes.
03 Think like the greats such as Eddie Angel with his ‘dive 04 villages across the USA will have never even seen a
of death’(jumpingfromaplaneinthedarkwithatorchineach plane before, so simply pick a place and make your way there.
hand), or Clyde ‘upside-down’ Pangborn, who flies inverted and During your stay, you will most likely find you are able to employ
also specialisesinswappingplanesmid-air.Findyourstuntand localkidstocarryfuelforyouinexchangeforaplanerideatthe
perfectit–everyflyingcircusneedsasignatureact. endoftheday.

GATES FLYING CIRCUS
1922-29, USA-WIDE
Ivan Gates wasn’t a pilot originally,
but used to promote the hugely
famous shows before he learned
how to fly.

Buzz the town Putonashow! MABEL CODY’S
Thebestwaytoattractagreatcrowdistobuzzthe Withacrowdassembled,it’stimetobegin.Usethefield FLYING CIRCUS © Ed Crooks, Alamy, State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
05 town. The rumble of engines as your Jenny approaches 06 asyourmakeshiftairstrip,and,ifthere’sabarn,listento
will drawthepeopleout;it’sthenuptoyoutoloopandroll, the crowd go wild as you fly through it at super low altitude. Have 1921-24, FLORIDA, USA
Mabel Cody leapt from a
enticing everyone to follow you. Find a large field to land, oneofyourpilotsdedicatedtotakingpeopleintotheair,andmake
speeding car to a flying plane,
and hopethefarmerisaccommodating(tryofferinghima sure you charge extra for those once-in-a-lifetime experiences of and survived the fall when the
discounted ride for his hospitality). rolls and loop-the-loops. ladder rung broke.

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