Lillian Boyer Performing Stunts Atop an Airplane in Flight, circa 1922
THF111420 / Lillian Boyer Performing Stunts Atop an Airplane in Flight, circa 1922
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Artifact Overview
Would you climb out on the wing of an airplane? In 1921, Lillian Boyer did after only her second time in the air. This fearless decision led her to become a wing walker, performing death-defying aerial feats. She hung by her teeth, ankles, and toes. She balanced on her head. She even changed planes in midair. Her stunts garnered headlines wherever she performed.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Photographic print
Date Made
circa 1922
Subject Date
circa 1922
Collection Title
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Object ID
68.160.1.30
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Harry Schlee
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Gelatin silver process
Color
Black-and-white (Colors)
Dimensions
Height: 3.625 in
Width: 4.625 in
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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.