It wasn't long after the Wright brothers made their historic first flight that daredevils began doing death-defying stunts on, over, and below flying airplanes.
Moira Boyd strapped onto the wing of a Tiger Moth biplane at Wycombe Air Park, May 22, 1968

John Kazian mounting the wing of a Stearman Trainer plane flying over Niagara Falls, Sept. 1, 1971

Carol Lynne riding atop a biplane piloted by her husband over Toronto, Aug. 31, 1982

The first known instance of wing-walking was when someone tests a particular model for lateral stability by walking along its wings in-flight. It was done quick and fast, no entertainment factor involved.
But when U.S. Army Air Service Pilot Ormer Locklear, who had a habit of walking out onto the wings of his aircraft to make in-flight tuning and adjustments, parlayed his balancing talents and flying skills into a more lucrative circus career, the wing-walking stunt business started to take off.
Men and women in surplus World War I biplanes dazzled crowds with their risky stunts, like plane-to-plane transfers, handstands, dangling by teeth and more, each performer trying to one-up the others.
Here, take a look at some of these stunt photos...
Ivan Unger and Gladys Roy playing tennis on top of a biplane, 1925

Richard Schindler practicing a stunt, 1919

A wing walker standing on one leg on the wing of a Curtiss 'Flying Jenny' biplane above New Jersey, c. 1920

Wing walkers showing off above and below a biplane, c. 1920

Famous wing walker Lillian Boyer dangling from the wing of a biplane, 1922

1922

Gladys Engle balancing atop a biplane, February 1, 1926

Gladys Roy walking the wings of a Curtiss JN-4 'Jenny' biplane over Los Angeles while blindfolded, March, 29, 1924

Richard Schindler practicing a trick on a Klemp plane piloted by Richard Perlia, c. 1927

Billy Bomar and Uva Kimmey of the Howard Flying Circus wing-walking on a biplane over New York State, May 13, 1930

Juanita Jover taking a ride strapped to the wings of a Tiger Moth biplane piloted by her boyfriend, stunt pilot Lewis Benjamin, December 1962

Jacqui Cheesman riding the wing of a Tiger Moth biplane at Wycombe Air Park, Buckinghamshire, England, May 22, 1968


Gladys Roy walking the wings of a Curtiss JN-4 'Jenny' biplane over Los Angeles while blindfolded, March, 29, 1924

Richard Schindler practicing a trick on a Klemp plane piloted by Richard Perlia, c. 1927

Billy Bomar and Uva Kimmey of the Howard Flying Circus wing-walking on a biplane over New York State, May 13, 1930

Juanita Jover taking a ride strapped to the wings of a Tiger Moth biplane piloted by her boyfriend, stunt pilot Lewis Benjamin, December 1962

Jacqui Cheesman riding the wing of a Tiger Moth biplane at Wycombe Air Park, Buckinghamshire, England, May 22, 1968

Moira Boyd strapped onto the wing of a Tiger Moth biplane at Wycombe Air Park, May 22, 1968

John Kazian mounting the wing of a Stearman Trainer plane flying over Niagara Falls, Sept. 1, 1971

Carol Lynne riding atop a biplane piloted by her husband over Toronto, Aug. 31, 1982

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