Airplanes and Pilots in Old Time Radio

The first half of the 20th century saw the budding age of radio and the budding age of air travel. As often the case, war brings innovation as countries compete for dominance. WWI was the first war that airplanes were used as weapons. This revolutionized war and brought the battles into the sky. It also created a new breed of heroes: pilots.

Adults and children alike marveled at the new found reality of air adventures popularized after WWI and air travel was a huge part of America's consciousness between the two World Wars.

Pilots and air stories flew in the the air and the airwave in a variety of old time radio shows. Many shows features the true stories of pilots and interviews with actual pilot heros.

• Some Science Fiction shows featured pilots, such as Escape "Man from Tomorrow" where a pilot develops his fives sense and gains sixth sense.
• Snakes on a plane! In Escape "Serenade for a Cobra", a pilot/thief is terrorized by a cobra in the cockpit.
• In Suspense, two kids sneak into a drone used for training and get stuck as the drone takes off.
• Bob Hope fantasizes that he is Captain Hope, only to crash his plane and maroon his crew in the desert.
• Jack Benny and company dramatize the Wright Brothers' discovery of flight.

Once the end of WWII came to a close, the mystery and intrigue of air travel lost the fantasy part as flying became more mainstream. Young audiences turned their eyes and ears to the next flying frontier: space.

For other aviation adventure series, see also: Air Adventures of Jimmy Allen, Anne of the Airlines, Air Stories of the World War, Captain Midnight,Hop Harrigan, Howie Wing, A Saga of Aviation, Rare Aviation Old Time Radio Shows, Airmail Mystery, Sky King, Speed Gibson, Tailspin Tommy, Terry & the Pirates, Sky King, Sky Blazers, Charles Lindbergh Recordings, Amelia Earhart, and Smilin' Jack.