Welcome to the official website of
American Barnstormer Walt Pierce and the
Double Trouble Wing Walking Team
When Walt Pierce gives a talk before aviation groups he often says "I have 10,000 hours in a BT-13 and never been off the ground in one." The "BTs" (army basic trainers) were popular in the 1950s for the engines which were removed for installation on Stearman crop dusters. Walt's daily journey was a mile walk to airport property. The retired warbirds were inside a barbed wire containment area and surrounded by tumbleweeds. After 4 years of "BT" cockpit time, he walked up the hill and got a job as a "flag boy" at Callens Flying Service, a crop dusting company; Walt was 16 at that time. He swept the hangar in order to pay for flying lessons.
Later, a move was made to Waco, Texas where work was found with the legendary Frank Price. Frank was known to movie buffs for his airshow flying as Ernst Kessler in THE GREAT WALDO PEPPER. Walt's new job was to teach aerobatics and fly
About the Aviator...
Walt Pierce
airshows in a 1929 Great Lakes registered as N202K. His ultimate goal was to be a full time air show performer in a 450 HP Stearman bi-plane. As an added attraction he would feature a lady on the wing.
In 1968 after some seasoning, a Stearman, "Ol' Smokey", was purchased and a 450 Wright J-6-9 engine was installed replacing the original 220 horsepower Continental. The airplane was painted red, white, and blue with a checkered tail. The air shows began.
By 1971 show dates included New York and Chicago. The bulk of them were in the Midwestern Corn Belt. By 1976, performances stretched from Atlantic to Pacific. His lady on the wing was Sandi Pierce. She also flew a Great Lakes bi-plane as a performer.
In 1980, Walt and Jessie Woods trained his new lady to climb down and WALK on the wing. During that time period some remaining pioneers from the 1930s accepted him as one of them. They included wing walker Jessie Woods, Clem Whittenbeck, and Cuban Eight inventor Len Povey.
2008 marked the 40th year that Walt has been flying Ol' Smokey and he continues to fly the Stearman to every event, now joined by his wife, Betty. The wing walkers usually travel by airline or drive to the events, depending on location.
Many folks in the airshow business can attest to the fact that Walt Pierce has influenced their lives over his 40+ years in the industry. He has also made a positive impact in the lives of people who simply love to fly. Marc R. Williams, author of "For the Love of Flight" (copyright 2007), tells of how in 1967 Walt helped him overcome some of his barriers (emotional and learning disabilities including dyslexia and ADD) and increase his self-respect.
Marc surprised Walt when he sent him an autographed copy of his book.
Photo courtesy of Adam Haley.
Len Povey and Art Davis commissioned Walt a "Barnstormer" several years ago, after they all spent some time together. Len and Art had both flown with the Brinton-Bayles Flying Circus around 1930.
It took years of travel through the hills and valleys of life before Walt's new title felt comfortable.
After 41 years, Marc and Walt finally meet again. Walt has written the Intro to the 2nd Edition of Marc's book!
and Solo Wing Walking, too!
