Today in 1945, George Nissen received the patent for a “tumbling device” which we now call the trampoline.
And while most of the time that device has been used for tumbling, as it was intended, during World War II the trampoline became a key part of training fighter pilots.
Nissen said he got the idea for the trampoline after a trip to the circus.
He watched performers dive from way up high onto safety nets, bouncing back up a bit before landing.
And he wondered whether there was a way to just let people keep bouncing on and on.
After lots of testing, Nissen and gymnastics coach Larry Griswald figured it out, stretching canvas and inner tubes over a rigid frame lined with metal springs.
The name “Trampoline” was an Anglicized version of the Spanish word for “diving board”; initially they trademarked the name and everyone else had to use the term “rebound tumbler.”
Anyway, their new apparatus took off like a jet plane, which brings us to World War II.
The US military realized the trampoline could help train cadets who were going to fly planes.
Military pilots have to be ready for anything, and their version of “anything” can include spinning in mid-air or losing their orientation with the ground.
The military used used the trampoline to simulate those sensations so pilots knew how to regain their bearings in real combat.
Plus the trampoline workouts were (and are) great exercise, which is why the space program has also turned to trampolines for conditioning and simulation work.
In fact, whatever line of work you might be in, it might be time to double check whether trampolines can give you a lift on the job.
This month in 1929, the start of a high-flying advertising campaign.
A team of daredevil pilots renamed itself the Baby Ruth Flying Circus; they flew from city to city dropping candy bars and gum to crowds of children on the ground.
The Baby Ruth bars even had little paper parachutes!
Trampoline Training During World War II (West View Trampoline Community via Archive.org)
The day Baby Ruth candy bars rained down from heaven (Aerotech News)
Help our show bounce higher and higher as a backer on Patreon
