"Jersey" Ringel Performing a Stunt on an Airplane in Flight, circa 1921
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Artifact Overview
In the early 1920s, barnstorming swept the United States. Pilots in surplus World War I airplanes toured the country performing sensational stunts for enthusiastic audiences. Many flyers lost their lives to these dangerous aerobatics. Barnstormer Philip "Jersey" Ringel died following an airplane crash in 1930 -- ironically, it was a routine flight and not a stunt performance.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Photographic print
Date Made
circa 1921
Subject Date
circa 1921
Collection Title
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Object ID
68.160.1.14.4
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Harry Schlee
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Gelatin silver process
Color
Black (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 10 in (Actual photoprint: 1.75")
Width: 13 in (Actual photoprint: 2.5")
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Related Content
SetBarnstormers
- 20 Artifacts
Barnstorming aerial performers thrilled audiences in the 1920s with death-defying "aerobatic" stunts. Equipped with war-surplus airplanes and steely nerves, they toured the country giving many Americans their first in-person experiences with aviation. Most barnstormers barely eked out a living, but a few found wealth and fame. By decade's end, aging aircraft, fading novelty, and growing government regulation largely ended the barnstorming era.