MochaSkyChick 0 #1 November 18, 2003 I found this pic on Corbis with the following quote "Donning homemade wings and webbing of his own invention, Clem Sohn, parachute jumper and daredevil, jumped from a plane at 12, 000 feet and successfully sustained himself in the air and even performed difficult maneuvers over Daytona Beach, Florida, February 27. After performing to his own satisfaction, Sohn pulled the ripcord of a parachute he was wearing and floated down to earth. After minor improvements of his apparatus, which weighs only eight pounds, Sohn will repeat his performance. He is shown above, wearing his real flying suit, after his recent flight. February 27, 1935." Just curious if there was anything recorded before this attempt. PMS #62 Zarza R[red Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kai2k1 0 #2 November 18, 2003 WOW, thats awesome. I think Chuteless would know the definite answer. There's no truer sense of flying than sky diving," Scott Cowan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harryskydives 0 #3 November 18, 2003 Have you seen the old movie the Gypsy Moths? Don't run out of altitude and experience at the same time... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taln1rigr 0 #4 November 18, 2003 Wow, that's a spectacular find ... very interesting ... I wanna know more ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MochaSkyChick 0 #5 November 18, 2003 QuoteHave you seen the old movie the Gypsy Moths? Oh, that skydiving movie with Burt Lancaster? I vaguely remember it. Was someone wearing something similar? PMS #62 Zarza R[red Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #6 November 18, 2003 SHHHHHHH...............don't tell Jari. It may crush him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harryskydives 0 #7 November 18, 2003 Yeah, it looked simuilar. I think they called it a bat suit? the movie is worth watching on a rainy afternoon of no jumping. Don't run out of altitude and experience at the same time... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #8 November 18, 2003 I believe he is one of many who were early pioneers. Not sure of his cronological order in it all though. Of note is one of the original pioneers actualy hooked up with Jari several weeks ago and went on a jump. See it HERE"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,026 #9 November 18, 2003 See www.humanflight.com/skyflying/manual.html for some information - scroll down to "History"... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skypuppy 1 #10 November 18, 2003 Sohn was one of the first, probably the most popular and relatively successful until his parachute caught on one of the wings, but their was at least one earlier... Franz Reichelt jumped from the lower level of the Eiffel Tower in 1912 using a suit made from metal and fabric, which was actually supposed to slow him down enough to land it... It didn't work... There were several others in the 30's, most took the 40's off due to WWII and then batwings came back in the 50's quite strongly.... It was said that jumping batwings was real dangerous, however it is my opinion that while jumping batwings was perhaps more dangerous than regular jumping in those days, regular jumping was still pretty dangerous... Remember, many jumpers didn't use altimeters and often didn't have reserves... Many would regularly open below a grand... A hesitation or low pull would kill you whether you wore batwings or not...If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead. Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MochaSkyChick 0 #11 November 18, 2003 The suit in that picture looks as if he were surround by a barrel with only his feet hanging out. Are there any pictures of him prior to the jump? PMS #62 Zarza R[red Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydog 2 #12 November 18, 2003 When doing a presentation I found this picture. I have no details but looks like it predates the other photo. BrynJourney not destination..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #13 November 18, 2003 I wonder if anyone could ID the rig that person is wearing?--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #14 November 18, 2003 Don't recall that guys name but he jumped off the eiffel tower and burned straight in and yes there is video or rather film of the whole event. He left a good size divit in the ground and didn't exhibit any charachteristic of flight other than falling."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skypuppy 1 #15 November 18, 2003 Actually that's Harry Ward... He had a suit made and started using it after hearing about Sohn's suit... He's probably using an Irvin parachute... He wrote a book (with Peter Hearn) called 'The Yorkshire Birdman'. He only made a few jumps on it before giving it up... Here's another pic of Reichelt before his jump... I have another but I have to dumb it down....If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead. Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MochaSkyChick 0 #16 November 18, 2003 Hmm, they thought that he would be the last of the birdmen. Little did they know that there would be flocks of them. PMS #62 Zarza R[red Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DYEVOUT 0 #17 November 18, 2003 Here's another pic of Reichelt. http://www.darwinawards.com/personal/personal2003-02.html ----------------=8^)---------------------- "I think that was the wrong tennis court." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MochaSkyChick 0 #18 November 18, 2003 QuoteHere's another pic of Reichelt. http://www.darwinawards.com/personal/personal2003-02.html Yeah, that's scary PMS #62 Zarza R[red Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
