An apparatus for teaching the art of aeroplaning

[AndyJWest]

Some illustrations from Edwin Link's 1931 patent for his "COMBINATION TRAINING DEVICE FOR STUDENT AVIATORS AND ENTERTAINMENT APPARATUS", also described as "An apparatus for teaching the art of aeroplaning". Quite complex, and mostly pneumatic. Link's father had been heavily involved in the manufacture of piano's and organs, which seem to have provided much of the inspiration, and apparently even some of the parts for prototypes.

 

Evidently Link, who's device went on to train pilots for decades, didn't see the need to distinguish between serious simulation and entertainment. Patented it for both, just in case...

 

 

 

 

The patent.

LInk Trainer: Wikipedia.

 

The Fleet Air Arm, aeroplaning on Link's device in 1943. Is that a cartoon face drawn over the clouds to the right? Looks like it, though I'm not entirely sure.

[Sokol1]

 

 

[Lusekofte]

That was cool

 

[Heliopause]

Small clip of a Link used in the Dutch East Indies in 1941 (from 09:02)

 

[Feathered_IV]

It’s all cool and that but if it doesn’t have MP me and my squad aren’t interested 

[AndyJWest]

10 minutes ago, Feathered_IV said:

It’s all cool and that but if it doesn’t have MP me and my squad aren’t interested 

 

You want multiplayer? How about multicrew!

 

See https://www.historyofsimulation.com/flight-simulators-in-world-war-1/ for more wacky ideas...

 

[Trooper117]

If he let's go of that somebody is going head first into the mud! (then off to Siberia for a holiday)

[AndyJWest]

That's how you teach teamwork: mess up, and you face the consequences. Which in this case include having to deal with an angry man armed with a machine gun.