After World War I, pilots sought ways to make use of the growing number of surplus aircraft. They formed traveling groups known as “flying circuses,” touring the country to demonstrate their flying skills and perform daring stunts for enthusiastic crowds. This form of aerial entertainment became known as barnstorming, and many of these exhibitions took place in Florida, often along its beaches.

Stuntwoman Mabel Cody, who would later establish the Mabel Cody Flying Circus, rose to prominence in the 1920s performing dangerous stunts involving airplanes and speeding automobiles. Claiming to be the niece of “Buffalo Bill” Cody—the famed American soldier, bison hunter, and showman—she astonished audiences with feats such as wing walking and both single and double parachute jumps.

In 1921, she became the first woman to transfer from a moving car to a flying airplane using a hanging ladder. That same year, she appeared over the South Florida Fair (now the Florida State Fair), walking along the wings of an aircraft at an altitude of 500 feet. As a young woman in a field dominated by men, her performances were especially notable.

In 1924, Cody was seriously injured while attempting another car-to-airplane transfer. The car and aircraft were reportedly traveling at about 75 miles per hour. She managed to grab the hanging ladder but lost her grip roughly 50 feet above the ground, reportedly when one of the ladder’s rungs broke. She was taken to the hospital unconscious but eventually recovered.

In 1927, the Tampa Times sponsored an exhibition featuring Cody and pilot Capt. A. B. McMullen, a former acrobatic instructor for the Army Air Service during World War I who had become a stunt pilot. Their troupe, known as the Air Devils, performed a variety of aerial feats, including a parachute race, acrobatic flying demonstrations, and a contest in which spectators could win a free flight over Tampa.

As part of a publicity stunt for the developing marine speedway at Davis Islands, Cody attempted to transfer from a surfboard being towed by a speeding boat onto a ladder hanging from a biplane. The event was filmed for a movie newsreel. After several attempts, she finally succeeded. Unfortunately, the photograph of her successful transfer did not turn out. The image preserved in the Burgert collection was altered; careful viewers can see where the negative was cut to add the boat carrying the film crew. In other words, it was “photo-shopped” long before Photoshop existed.

After climbing aboard the aircraft, Cody walked out along the wing before the plane landed in front of the Mirasol Hotel.

Mabel Cody broke through the male-dominated world of aviation daredevils and thrilled audiences throughout Florida with her remarkable courage and skill.  

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved