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Post by errolmartyn on Jul 12, 2011 20:11:48 GMT 12
Is jumping from a balloon like in the early days kind of considered the beginning of base jumping? quote] Some excerpts from my forthcoming history of early New Zealand aviation: "That descending feelingAlthough Australian balloonist and parachutist ‘Captain Penfold’ (alias Vincent P. Taylor) never visited New Zealand, he left us with a vivid account of the procedure and sensation of ‘How It Feels to Drop from the Clouds’: ". . . soon a rustling of your parachute cloth is heard overhead, it tells you the balloon is cooling and descending, and seeing you are over a fairly clear spot, you prepare to drop. Glancing up at your parachute to see if the cords are disentangled, you grasp your trapeze rope by one hand, your cutaway line with the other, cross your legs around your trapeze bar, collect your thoughts, and pull the knife. At once the wind rushes past you, the trapeze seems not to hold your weight, you fall as if pushed, unprepared, from a high stage into the water at the baths. You look overhead to see the parachute open, the parachute cloth is dropping in a bundle to reach you as it were, but before it does, your weight tells and pulls the cords straight, the wind catches under the cloth of your canopy, you have a few anxious moments as it slowly unfolds like a huge umbrella and with a slight tug (as if a fish were running away with your fishing line) you are supported like a feather, and you experience a feeling of satisfaction and safety. Down you float to terra firma like a bird on out-stretched wings, and if it is a calm day your descent is almost vertical at the rate of 8 to 10 ft. a second. When nearing the ground the earth seems to rush up to meet you, and what, at a height of a thousand feet seemed a small box in an allotment, turns out now to be a good sized house. You reach the ground as if in a free drop from a height of about 4 ft. "The most exciting part of parachuting is making a good landing, especially where trees or buildings are about, but with a little experience you soon learn to manipulate the parachute cords and thus cave or direct the canopy to bear you in the direction required." (Source: Popular Mechanics, Nov 1909.) George Bolt explained in his unpublished memoir that: "The parachutes used by a lot of the early [balloonists] were not folded up into a bundle like the present-day parachutes. They were simply hung from the balloon so that there was very little drop before opening of the parachute would occur. A cane ring hung just inside the mouth of the hanging chute which helped in giving a quick opening. The top of the parachute had an ordinary wooden block with a thin steel blade in it to cut the supporting rope of the parachute and free it from the balloon. The aeronaut in nearly all the early balloons sat on a trapeze. A line coming from the release block at the apex of the parachute was tied to the side-lines of the trapeze. Most of the shroud lines of the parachute came to a steel ring about 20 inches in diameter approximately 9 inches above the aeronaut’s head, so that he could use this ring for tilting the parachute to get a certain amount of steerage. ..." Errol, PS: And of course there was none of that sissy stuff like parachute harnesses. One simply hung on for dear life. During ascent the aeronaut would often perform various acrobatics on his trapeze, again with no safety gear to protect him should he slip. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 12, 2011 21:11:25 GMT 12
Here are some very interesting articles form the time of Professor Baldwin's visit:
Otago Daily Times , Issue 8392, 16 January 1889, Page 2
THE KING OF THE CLOUDS.
A FLIGHT THROUGH SPACE,
Professor Baldwin, the daring aeronaut, who has been creating such a sensation in Great Britain by his descents—or, more correctly speaking, flights—from a balloon, reached Dunedin yesterday. He will give an exhibition on the Caledonian grounds on Saturday afternoon, and as this is the first time the public have had an opportunity of witnessing any such performance, the aeronaut and his balloon will attract considerable attention. The professor is accompanied by Mr Farini, a famous showman—the EnBarnumarnutn,—and from him we obtained some particulars of the professor and his apparatus which should be of interest. Ifirstfirafe place, then, Professor Baldwin has by careful calculaandns aud observations obtained great control over both the balloon and parachute, and this enables him, unless in the casevery strongstrong breeze, to land within a very short distance of the place from which the ascent was made—generally not more than 40 or 50 yards, away. At first the balloons were in the habit of getting away, and on more than one occasion when an ascent was made at the Alexandra Palace, London, the balloon wandered away and was picked up in France; now it generally happens that the balloon reaches the ground! within a few seconds of the parachute. The balloon used is very light, with no paraphernalia. It is made of silk prepared with a chemical covering. It has neither car, nor ballast, nor grappling irons. Attached to it is the parachute, which is simplicity itself. It is perfectly flexible, made of thin Tussora silk, and is mushroom shaped at the top. In the centre of the top there is a hole about 2ft in diameter, by which the professor is able to balance the parachute and keep it vertical. There is just so much surface exposed as is required for the weight of a man. It is tied to the side of the balloon by a cord, whonh breaks ou having to bear a support of more than 901b. As soon as the professor reaches the desired height, generally about 1000 ft, he seizes the parachute, and the balloon, freed of his weight, is seen at once to shoot higher in the air. For the smallest possible space the aeronaut appears to be motionless, and then the onlooker has to hold his breath as faster and faster for 200 ft or 300 ft he drops like a stone, the parachute being then a shapeless mass. As it distends the pace steadily decreases, and the professor is been slowly descending, holding on to the parachute by his arms only. So gently is it managed at the finish that he appears to be floating in the air. After the descent Professor Baldwin gives a short and interesting lecture to the spectators.
Mr Baldwin is an American. He was born in Quincy, Illinois, in 1861. At the age of about 15 he became a gymnast. He used to make balloon ascents, and then conceived the idea of perfecting the parachute, which, as is well known, is almost as old as ballooning itself. The feat is not without its dangers, but Professor Baldwin is very coo], and the control ho has obtained over the parachute enables him to ascend and descend in safety, unless a vgalefierce galo sonuld come ou suddenly. The higher he goes the safer tho experiment, as there is then always time to put the parachute right in case it refuses to act at first. In giving exhibitions on limited ground, however, it does not do to go too high, as he might then get caught in another current of air, which would prevent his landing at the spot he desires. When he leave? the balloon he has to make a rapid computation of aiandurrents aud angles, and he invariably touches the ground quite close to the place of ascent. It maythatstated thnt although Mr Farini accoBaldwin Mr Baldwiu he is only doing so on a pleasure tour with the view of seeing tho colonies.
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Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 14, 17 January 1889, Page 2
PROFESSOR BALDWIN.
INTERVIEWED IN MELBOURNE
Professor Baldwin, the parachutist who has been astonishing English audiences, is now in Melbourne, and he was interviewed lately by a reporter of the " Melbourne Herald," who says:—Around the scrap album covered table sat the Professor, Mr Farini, who is, after Barnum, probably the most prominent and successful showman in the world, and Mr W. E. Akyroyde, of New Zealand, who has ventured on bringing out Baldwin to astonish the natives of these latitudes. Professor Baldwin tells you he is nine and twenty years of age, but he looks more, as he confesses himself.
Rather tall he is in stature, muscuiarly built, and pleasant alike in appearance and manner. He is a regular Yankee, but is of a modest, retiring disposition, and has to be considerably drawn out before he will speak—at any rate to a stranger. Behind all that you can espy determination and courage, and he has an eye which speaks volumes. As you chat a while with him he tells you about himself —that he was born at Quincy, Ill., in June, 1860. He has been a showman since 1870, when he was apprenticed to a travelling circus, in which he first appeared as a gymnast.
Afterwards, with the same show, he mastered the tight-rope business with enough success to justify him in attempting some sufficiently daring feats. He next drifted into aeronautics, and for the two years following he made a series of successful ascensions, using hydrogen balloons entirely.
His parachute feature is not a reckless undertaking, but is the result of long and careful study and experiment. He practised with sandbags until he mastered the difficulties of oscillation, and finally his first jump was made on the 30th January, 1887, in San Francisco, where he descended 1,000 feet in safety.
His second success was achieved at his native place, Quincy, on the following month, when he dropped 4,500 feet. This hazardous feat was witnessed by 25,000 people, and when he left the balloon at that tremendously high elevation the crowd stood breathlessly until he landed aafely in a iield a mile and a-half from where the balloon ascended. He goes on to remark that the principle of the parachute was thought of long before balloons ever were introduced; but it was never perfected, because they worked on a wrong idea. They had them rigid. Fifty yeara ago Cockling was killed in experimenting in this way, and Garmerini had a narrow escape. He had read of all these experiments, and he came to the conclusion, after a lot of consideration, that the apparatus used was on a wrong principle altogether, and he does not hesitate to take credit for being the man who has perfected the parachute.
The others who are trying the business go at it in a haphazard manner; they have had no scientific experience, and, as sure as fate, some of them will be killed.
There is a hole in the top of Mr Baldwin's parachute, and he has just got it the right size; and that is what prevents the oscillation and brings hiaa down gently and in safety. lie has a sail, which he throws up at an angle of 40 degrees, and that is the principle on which ib must be worked to avoid oscillation, lie studied it for three years before he could get the apparatus thoroughly perfect. They had tried heated air, but it was of no use ; gas was the thing to use. The ballooa which Professor Baldwin uses weighs 501bs, its capacity is 15,000 feet, and he has an ascensive force of 400lb, which takes him up at a speed of 3,000 or 4,000 feet a minute.
This parachute business, he maintains, will serve a practical purpose. It has been adopted by the British Ballooning Force of the army, and Major Templar, the chief of the corps, is having his men schooled in it. lt will be used in war effectively. A man could go up at a very rapid rate, find out the enemy's position, photograph it, and then descend at a quick pace. He is ranking arrangements to supply the Italian Government with the apparatus.
As showing how accurately he can work the parachute, he recalls that at an exhibition before the Prince and Princess of Wales he went up and came down on the same spot. He had never had an accident, and he had only missed but one show. The sensation on the parachute is rather delightful when corning down.
He says, in conclusion, and Mr Farini says it too, that as yet they have made no arrangements for showing here ; but he is determined to go in for it, Yankee-like, " big licks."
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Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 16, 19 January 1889, Page 8
EXPLOITS WITH THE PARACHUTE.
(To the Editor.)
SIR, —Upon reading an article in this evening's issue of your paper upon Professor Baldwin and his parachute, I thought perhaps a few facts in connection with the history of the parachute might be interesting to your readers, and also correct many false ideas now held.
The first we read of as having successfully experimented with a parachute was a famous aeronaut named Blanchard. He ascended from Strasburg in August, 1787. This ascent was attended we are told by a curious incident, an experiment being made with the parachute. For this purpose he took a dog with him. When he had attained an elevation of 6,000 feet the parachute with the dog in a basket suspended from it was detached from the balloon. Soon after its separation it was carried upwards by a whirlwind and disappeared among the clouds. Some time afterwards Blanchard fell in with the parachute, still floating in the air, and the dog, in hopes of rejoining his master, began to express his satisfaction by barking; but when the aeronaut attempted to lay hold of it a sudden gust of wind carried it beyond his reach.
Blanchard continued his voyage, and having passed over the city of Tell, descended safely to the earth; but it was not till after the lapse of twelve minutes from the time of his ascent that the dog and parachute reached ground.
M. Garnerou undertook an aerial excursion from Paris in October, 1797, for the purpose of descending with a parachute. When he attained an elevation cf 2,000 feet the parachute was detached. Its descent we are told was slow and steady at first, then it assumed an oscillating and circular motion; as he neared the earth it became steadier, and he at last descended in safety.
In the month of September the same year this enterprising adventurer ascended from London for the purpose of exhibiting his experiment of a descent with the parachute. When he had reached an elevation of eight thousand feet, which was done in eight minutes, the parachute was detached, and the circumstances attending this descent were nearly identitical with the previous descent, except the gyration was so great that he had some fear of being thrown out of the car, but as he neared the earth it became more steady and he alighted without sustaining any injury. This experiment he repeated several times, and during the summer of 1815, Madame Garnerou successfully achieved the same daring exploit at Paris.
Several attempts were then made to prevent the oscillation and suggestions as to altering the form of the machine. It was also suggested to have "an opening in the centre of the parachute to allow the compressed air to escape." The above quotation is from a work published in 1827, so that the opening or valve in the centre is not new, and I cannot see how Baldwin can claim that as an improvement or invention of his own. I myself saw many years ago Madame Potiven descend several times in a parachute which had a large opening in the centre, which was claimed by them to be an improvement. Each, time she discended safely, without the slightest oscillation; the machine came down beautifully steady and appeared at times stationary. An account of this parachute will be found in " Cassells Popular Educator" (first edition).
Beyond a more daring acrobatic performance in springing from this balloon, there Is really nothing new in Baldwin's performances. Baldwin hangs by his hands to a ring instead of a car. Madame Garnerou is said to have made 39 descents and became so confident and dexterous that by handling some of the suspension cords she was enabled to skim down in an oblique direction, to a place determined and remote. By the combined inclinations which could be given to the parachute she was seen to manoeuvre and tend towards the place designated. Now I think had Baldwin well read the history of the parachute he must be aware of these experiments,
-— I am, etc, John Crook,
Inventor and Patentee of Crook's Navigable Balloon, January 17, 1889.
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Advertisements Column 1
Star , Issue 6450, 21 January 1889, Page 2
BALLOON ! BALLOON ! BALLOON !
AND PARACHUTE DROP.
Professor Baldwin, THE Original Parachutist, has arrived, and will MAKE HIS BALLOON ASCENT on WEDNESDAY NEXT, JAN. 23, 1889, AT 5 P.M., AND AT HALF-PAST 5, WILL MAKE HIS THRILLING DROP FROM THE CLOUDS, And as the most amusing, interesting and instructive part ot the show consists in being within seeing and hearing distance of the Gigantic Balloon, all are requested to attend early to avoid crushing, and obtain advantageous positions.
Scenes comic, serio-comic, sentimental, and serious. This is the greatest scientific sensation of the age. The Professor falls 400 ft before opening his parachute. Baldwin, the Royal Parachutist, made his descent before their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales and the young Princesses, by command, and returned to the spot he started from, alighting at the feet ot the Royal visitors.
The Balloon will be inflated in the centre of the Addington Agricultural Grounds, Lincoln road, and on his descent Professor Baldwin will deliver a short lecture explanatory of his wonderful invention. A brass band will be in attendance. Concessions made to schools attending in a body.
Admission to Grounds, 1s.
4680 9601 W. E. AKROYD. Director. . A.O.D
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Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4443, 21 January 1889, Page 3
PROFESSOR BALDWIN AT DUNEDIN.
ACCIDENT TO HIS BALLOON. (By Telegraph.)
DUNEDIN, Jan. 20.
A tremendous crowd gathered on the Caledonian grounds on Saturday to witness the balloon ascent and parachute descent by Professor Baldwin. A stiff breeze was blowing up the bay during the afternoon from the N.fi., and as 5.30, the hour appointed, approached, the breeze increased m force. At 6.30 it was announced that if the wind went down tho professor would sti'l make his ascent, but the wind, which usually lulls, piped up stronger than ever and people began to disperse. About 8 o'clock the balloon, which had been inflated for about 2 hours, gave way, being split almost from top to bottom. This put an end to all chance of an ascent on that occasion, greatly to the disappointment of the spectators, many of whom were from the country.
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Southland Times , Issue 10070, 22 January 1889, Page 2
Up and Down Again.
(By Telegraph). Dunedin, Jan. 21. Professor Baldwin made a successful balloon ascent and parachute descent this evening, Although only a gentle breeze was blowing he was carried about a quarter of a mile from the starting point. The few seconds when he came away from the bnlloon and before the parachute opened were the most exciting. The height ascended was from 800 to 1000 feet.
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Otago Daily Times , Issue 8397, 22 January 1889, Page 3
PROFESSSOR BALDWIN'S ASCENT.
A SENSATIONAL FEAT. Another large crowd assembled on and round about the Caledonian ground by 7 o'clock yesterday evening to see Professor Baldwin take his daring flight through the air. Within the enclosure there were not nearly so many people as on Saturday, but the hill at the rear of Smith and Fotheringham's brickworks and the Town Belt at Montecillo were packed with sightseers, who had a good view of the exhibition without going through the idle ceremony of paying a shilling.
As the advertised time for the ascent approached considerable doubt was entertained among the public as to whether the balloon would get safely away after all, rather a brisk breeze springing up just before sundown. However, Professor Baldwin continued actively superintending the inflation of his balloon, which was rather dangerously agitated by the gusts of wind every now and then.
At a few minutes before 7 Professor Baldwin mounted a form and, as before, made a short preliminary speech to the spectators. He is a well-built, lithe-limbed American, with dark complexion and moustache, good-looking, and with considerable alertness and resolution in his manner. That he is a man of wonderful pluck and iron nerve, his aerial feats amply testify. Standing up to address his patrons, attired in the orthodox silk hat and black frock coat, he looks scarcely like a man on the eve of taking such a startling journey. He might be intending to sell some town allotments, or say a few words on the political situation.
A little later, divested of hat and coat, quick yet cool amid fill the bustle attending his departure, he is seen at his best. What the professor has now to say is brief and to the point. He explains Saturday's failure in a frank and manly way. The pressure of so high a wind on the frail fabric of the balloon was not to be withstood, but had it not been for the purely accidental bursting, he himself would have been willing to make the ascent. He could control his balloon and his parachute once he got fairly away, but be could not control the elements. In spite of the wind then blowing, he would endeavour to make the ascent that evening at 7 o'clock sharp— ie, in 10 minutes' time—and he begged them all to stand back and keep quiet while the attempt was made. There would be danger again of the balloon bursting in that wind, directly it was raised off the ground, and the air pressure got underneath it; but if such an accident did happen it would not be his fault. If he could only get up he would guarantee to come down right enough. He regretted to see a statement in that evening's paper to the effect that he had purposely ripped the balloon up on Saturday. He was not standing within yards of it at the time, and it was certainly no advantage to him at his first exhibition in a new country to tamper with the feelings of the public.
If he had to stay here all the summer he would give them an ascent as promised, and he could assure them he would rather lose a leg than miss the ascent that evening. This short speech was well received by the people, and Mr Baldwin then hurried away and began to make final preparations for his excursion, in which he was assisted by his manager, Mr Farini. The balloon was raised well off the ground, being held captive by several men, and although it swayed rather violently in the breeze the fabric kept together on this occasion.
Everything being nearly completed, Professor Baldwin, who is now bareheaded and clad in a dark close-fitting vest, runs across to a bench near at hand and gives his wife a basty parting kiss. There is nothing whatever of the theatrical element about this ceremony, which is quickly and unostentatiously performed, and is not even observed by the majority of the spectators. Confident as the aeronaut is in the efficacy of his invention, he is probably too shrewd a man not to recognise that the "wisest schemes of mice and men gang aft aglee."
He has all the assurance of safety that personal attention to his apparatus and splendid coolness and nerve can give him, but there are chances against him too. Some blunder on the part of an attendant, or some unforeseen hitch at the last moment, may wreck him before he is sufficiently clear of the earth to rely upon his parachute, or what if away in the clouds some little thing—some very little thing—should go amiss with the parachute itself?
Professor Baldwin, no doubt, does not believe in this latter , contingency, and would bet long odds against the parachute ever failing him. It is to be hoped it never will, and that the adage about the pitcher and the well will not be verified in the case of this daring man. His leave taking over, the professor bends down and disappears for some minutes within the folds of some silky looking drapery, which is held for him by Mr Fanni. This mass of limp-looking cloth is the wonderful parachute, and it may easily be guessed what Professor Baldwin is doing inside it. He is adjusting the hoop which, when the machine is expanded, will form the orifice at the top, and this orifice through which the air the air escapes in his descent is perhaps the most important feature about Mr Baldwin's invention. He emurges presently, and then the folded parachute is drawn up to the netting which hangs loose around the neck of the balloon.
It can be seen that depending from the parachute are a number of long ropes attached to a stout hoop, which is presently passed over the aeronaut's head. In descending he will hang by both hands to this hoop.
There is a great shouting of orders now, and the excitement among the spectators is very great. "Lift her up," cries Professor Baldwin, 'but hold her," and , as the struggling balloon rides a few yards above the ground he is seen to have taken his position immediately below her, and to be surrounded by a confusing array of ropes. An excited shout by Mr Farini to some assistant to "Leave go of the rope" shows that it is a critical moment, and then, before the spectators well realise it, balloon and balloonist, are away. She mounts swiftly and smoothly like a bird released, the professor sitting apparently upon some small bar with outstretched hands, in much the attitude of a driver handling a team of horses. Spontaneous cheering and applause break from the crowd at the ascent, but it. is only a matter of seconds before the bold aeronaut is out of ear shot.
The ascent is made from the leeward side of the stand, and the wind being from the north-east. The balloon is driven at once in the direction of Caversham. In conseqence of this wind which is taking him rapidly away from the spectators, Professor Baldwin does not go to anything like the height he has sometimes reached. He goes so high, however, that he and his balloon look very small objects indeed against the clear sky.
About I000It would perhaps be height, and it has taken an incrediby short space of time for him to reach it, Before his movements became indistinguished with the naked eye he had been able to extend one leg and pass his foot into the loop of rope that is hanging within reach.
What is next the part of his preparations for casting loose can only be guessed. Suddenly there is uumistakable movement in the dirninutive figure aloft, and the next instant the folded parachute and its inventor have left the balloon which turns upside down and floats aimlessly about in the empyrean for awhile. Thu parachute retains its limp appearance, and at the end of the long ropes that depend from it the figure of the falling balloonist. He is holding on with his arms raised above his head, and his whole form is perfectly rigid; feet together and frame erect.
He comes down in that fashion as straight as a stone and in a standing posture for neatly half his journey, and then the onlookers draw a sudden breath of relief, for the air has caught the parachute, and it has expanded into umbrella shape. The aeronaut's fall is instantly checked, and from that point he descends steadily with a gentle swirving motion that soon brings him apparently among the house-tops of South Dunedin. Here he swings himself into a sitting posture, evidently steering the parachute towards a safe alighting place, and finally comes easily to earth in a vacant section off the Cargill road, near the Railway Workshops Hotel.
Ten minutes later the professor was again at the Caledonian ground, and, accompanied by Mr Farini, appeared in the front of the stand, receiving quite an ovation. He then gave a short address as announced, claiming (of course with perfect truth) to have made the first descent of the kind that had ever been attempted in Naw Zealand.
The parachute, of which he was the originator, required, he explained, two feet of surface to every pound weight of the object attached to it. The orifice at the top was 18in or 20in in diameter, and this, by allowing the compressed air in the parachute to escape, formed a kind of column of air, down which he slid.
As regarded the long drop before the parachute expanded, that was merely a bit of sensationalism he introduced. How soon the parchute expanded depended upon the "size of the hoop he placed in the orifice at the top. He could, if he desired it, make the parachute expand directly after leaving the balloon.
Mr Farini, who followed with a few words, added some further information as to the way in which Professor Baldwin had perfected his invention, and remarked that having solved the difliculty, there had yet remained the necessity of finding a plucky fellow to jump from the balloon and test tho truth of the theory That man they had found in Professor Baldwin.—(Loud applause.) It was mentioned that Professor Baldwin leaves for Ohristchurch to-day and gives an exhibition there to-morrow evening.
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