“This rather comical photo was taken in 1912, and contrary to popular belief on the internet it isn’t a man testing a new prototype of American Football helmet by bashing his head against a wall. The truth is actually more interesting than the myth when it comes to this image. In actual fact the man is British inventor W.T. Warren, and the image is of him leaping against a hanger wall at the flying school of William Hugh Ewen, at Hendon in the UK.
His invention, the Warren Safety Helmet was a spring-equipped pilot safety helmet, which was padded with horsehair. It was designed to absorb an impact as head injuries were the leading cause of death in flight accidents at the time. The helmet saw considerable use during World War I and an example of Warren’s invention can be found in the Imperial War Museum.
The other men in the photo are the flying school’s owner William Hugh Ewen, in the middle, on the left stands his chief pilot Lewis Turner and the man on the right was named A. M. Ramsey. The photograph was published in Aviation magazine Flight on 6th April 1912.”
[Image found here, description from the comments.]
Tacky Raccoons 
Interesting facts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve had an interest in early flight, especially WWI aircraft, since I was a kid. Read a book about Eddie Rickenbacher.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice, are you pursuing anything in flight or you are a pilot already?
LikeLike
Kinge–
Nah. I just like the technology of the times. They did a lot with what they had. For example, the original gas gauge was a pocket watch nailed to the oak dashboard. The other “gauge” was a bubble level. Line-of-sight flying.
When I was in high school a small local airport had a weekend open house. My buddies and I went, not to look at single engine airplanes, but to get free hot dogs and Cokes. While I was there I filled out a post card to win something – didn’t know what – and the next day I found I won three hours of flying lessons in a Piper Cub..
I got to see my house from the air, too. When I got home, Mom complained that some idiot in a plane had been circling the neighborhood and screwing up the TV reception.
That was as close as I ever got to becoming a pilot.
LikeLiked by 1 person