Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The Death-Defying Aerial Stunts of 1920s Barnstormers


A group of stuntmen and stuntwomen who, during the 1920s, repeatedly risked their lives in a quest for thrills and entertainment; and, at the end of the day, to earn a living.
                                                                               Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives
There’s always someone who will find a creative way to make money off new technology. Airplanes proved to be wonderful for transportation and for waging war, but barnstormers saw their entertainment value, too. Performers walked around outside their planes, jumped from plane to plane, and came up with new stunts to please crowds. But wing-walking is one place you don’t learn from your mistakes, because you often don’t survive them. So many of these performers died that federal safety restrictions were put into place, and the shows all but died out.
                                                                                Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives
                                                                        Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives
                                                                        Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives
                                                                                     Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives
                                                                              Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives
                                                                       Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives
                                                                       Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives

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