Wing Walking

Wing walking, of course, is one of the crazy stunts pilots got up to in the earlier days of aviation. It is still done sometimes, but with wires and straps and thing to make sure the practitioners won't die. Back in the days these photos were taken, there were no such safeguards. Pilots would simply climb out of their cockpits and stand, sit, or hang from the wings or fuselage. This kind of thing was very popular in stunt shows of the 1920s, though it was being done for fun much earlier.

The majority of these photos depict an American barnstormer of the 1920s named Carter Buton, whose antics are documented in scrapbooks temporarily held by the San Diego Air and Space Museum. However, the albums of WWI pilots-in-training yield plenty of examples at least as daring, done just for the benefit of fellow pilots, and/or just for the hell of it.

If you're afraid of heights, you might want to click away now...

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Carter Buton, 1920s. Source

Deseronto Archives

RFC pilot and flight instructor Lt. Ned Ballough, known as the "wing walker", Ontario, WWI. From this album. Source

Deseronto Archives

Lt. Ned Ballough again, Ontario,WWI. Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Carter Buton. Source

Deseronto Archives

 Lt. Ned Ballough Ontario, WWI.  Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Carter Buton. Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Carter Buton. Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Carter Buton. Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Kelly Field, Texas. From this (especially great) album. Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Carter Buton. Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

WWI, from this album. Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Carter Buton. Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Carter Buton. Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Carter Buton. Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Carter Buton. Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Carter Buton. Source