the 13 Black Cats
"If a Black Cat can't do it - it can't be done."
The Black Cats motto above said it all and what these madcap men and women accomplished while using the Jenny's wings, struts and wires as their playground was nothing short of breathtaking. Wingwalking stunts, changing tires in flight, intentional crashes - the Cats executed it all with style and humor!
Organized by 13 members, the Cats flamboyantly thumbed their noses at superstition and death in the 1920s. Their uniforms were simple; a black sweater adorned with a black cat patch. However, their antics were anything but, and they priced each stunt à la carte. Their menu read in part: Ship change - $100 • Fight on upper wing, two men, one falls off - $225 • Loop with man on each wing, standing up - $450 • Blow plane up mid-air, pilot chutes out - $1500.
Sadly by 1929, new regulations and cheap competition forced the Cats to disband. The 13 Black Cats may have flown for only five years but in that golden age of aviation the legend of America's greatest stunt team and their Jennies was born.
Help Ranger Airfield's Curtiss Jenny fly in 2020 by becoming a Black Cat below.
1918 Curtiss JN-4D sn 6200 specifications:
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Crew: 2
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Length: 27 ft 4 in
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Wingspan: 43 ft 7¾ in
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Height: 9 ft 10½ in
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Wing area: 352 ft2
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Empty weight: 1,390 lb
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Max. takeoff weight: 1,920 lb
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Powerplant: 1 × Curtiss OX-5 V8 piston, 90 hp
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Propeller: Paragon 8 ft 3 in
"Air crash averted!"
Gladys Ingle - What a Gal!
Gladys Ingle of the 13 BLACK CATS changes planes in mid-air to replace a lost wheel.