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Broadwick 12

Q: How old were you when you stopped balloon ascensions?

Broadwick: I stopped in 1915. My last balloon work was in '14. I was out here at Dominguez Field in 1912, and then I joined up with Glenn Martin and started on airplanes, but I also went back to San Diego and made a few hot air balloon drops down there. I began to work with Mr. Martin around 1913, and we built a parachute, hoping to prove that there was a "life preserver for the air," the same as there was for the sea. Of course, I'd sit out in front on the plane Mr. Martin had, with the motor in back of me. We gave the parachute a test. Then that wasn't just what we wanted, so Dad Broadwick built this coat that I wore on my back. Of course, Mr. Martin was very enthused about it. That's when I joined up with him. We barnstormed around the country and made exhibition drops, and of course, being new, it was very excited and thrilling for the people.

Q: He did this mainly to sell these "life preservers," or to prove that air travel was safe, or what?

Broadwick: Well, it wasn't his idea. It was Broadwick's idea to build a life preserver for the air, and he figured that the parachutes were it. We had been so far advanced in our own balloon work that we knew this was going to be the right thing, but of course Mr. Martin knew nothing about parachutes. He'd never seen a parachute until he saw me drop from a hot air balloon in 1912 at Dominguez Field. 

Q: Then he came to you and suggested that you work together?

Broadwick: He said, "I think we'd make a good team." I said, "I don't know why we shouldn't," not knowing exactly what we were going to work out. But that's how it worked out from the beginning -- me sitting on the front of the plane like that, and him building this coat.

Transcription Notes:
Line 3: Another transcriptionist wrote "Dominguez" -- unsure if that is the correct interpretation of the marginalia insertion