HOUDINI'S EYES IN THE SKY

In the Summer and Fall of 1909, especially in France and Germany, the world was going crazy over flying machines, according to a letter Houdini wrote to his friend and flight engineer Montraville Wood.

On August 29, Graf von Zeppelin actually caused his dirigible to bow to Kaiser Wilhelm II, who was guest of honor in a crowd of 300,000 people at Tempelhof, the ancient parade ground of the Knights Templar that was soon to become Berlin's principal airfield.

Houdini was there, too, in his newfound role as daredevil aviator. He had traveled from the first International Air Meet in Reims, France to Berlin with his brand-new aeroplane, a Voisin 60-80 horsepower flying box kite with a wingspan of 33 feet. 

As we've reported, he flew the Voisin in Berlin for the German War Ministry, impressing them sufficiently to be rewarded with hangar space and a practice field in Hamburg. In return Harry would help train the fledgling German Imperial Air Corps. They were Hussars, cavalry officers, led by Houdini's new friend and fan Prince Leopold von Preussen, the Kaiser's brother-in-law. Harry gave a private performance for Leopold's family and guests at the prince's castle at Klein-Glienecke, on the outskirts of Berlin.

Prince Leopold's castle

Last week we mentioned that the only aviators who were not present that historic week in Reims were the Wright brothers. They were already in Germany, nailing down a business deal with the German military-industrial complex.

Though the Kaiser still had a thing for dirigibles, the German general staff was gearing up to manufacture aeroplanes, based on the design of the Wright Brothers. In September 1909 the Wrights dazzled the German military by circling Tempelhof eight times in their Wright Flyer, before a crowd of 150,000, including Houdini.

Wright Flyer over Berlin 1909

By November 26, Harry was flying and training the Hussars in Hamburg. The German Wright factories did not get into production until 1910, so in that brief but historic moment Harry Houdini was king of the air in Germany.





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