Wing Walking was one of the dangerous stunts that began in the early 1920s. It was initially introduced to depict balance and stability. Wing walking was the act of moving along the wings of a biplane during flight. As the stunt became more popular, the performers would attempt more challenging positions and perform different actions, such as handstands, hanging by one’s teeth, and transferring from one aircraft to another. The golden for this dangerous stunt was to “Don’t let go of what you’ve got until you get hold of something better.”
26-year-old Ormer Locklear was among the first wing walker. He walked onto the wings of his plane. During training to fix mechanical issues mid-air without having to land. He also performed the daredevil stunt for many aerial shows. Unfortunately, he died during a wing-walking action. Eight wing walkers were killed in a relatively short period during the infancy of wing walking.
American aviator, military officer, author and inventor, Charles Lindbergh also began his career as a wing walker. The first African-American woman granted an international pilot license, Bessie Coleman, also engaged in stunts using parachutes.
The golden era of this daredevil stunt ended in the 1940s, where the authorities made clear that the parachutes had to be worn.
Also, check the Horse diving show.
Hello Benjamin! Great article! Is there any way that I could use a couple of the wing walking photos in an upcoming youtube video? Credit will of course be given.