Elm Farm Ollie
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Elm Farm Ollie(known as "Nellie Jay" and post-flight as "Sky Queen" ) became the firstcowto fly in anairplaneon 18 February 1930, as part of the International Air Exposition inSt. Louis, Missouri,United States.On the same trip, which covered 72 miles in aFord Trimotorairplane fromBismarck, Missouri,to St. Louis, she also became the first cow milked in flight. This was done ostensibly to allow scientists to observe midair effects on animals, as well as for publicity purposes. A St. Louis newspaper trumpeted her mission as being "to blaze a trail for the transportation of livestock by air."
Elm Farm Ollie was reported to have been an unusually productiveGuernsey cow,requiring three milkings a day and producing 24quartsof milk during the flight itself.Wisconsinnative Elsworth W. Bunce milked her, becoming the first man to milk acowmid-flight. Elm Farm Ollie's milk was sealed into paper cartons which were parachuted to spectators below.Charles Lindberghreportedly received a glass of the milk.
Although Elm Farm Ollie was born and raised in Bismarck, Missouri, it is largely in the dairy state ofWisconsinwhere her fame has lived on.
References
[edit]- Forsythe, Roger (1992)."Nellie the Flying Cow".Flat River, Missouri Daily Journal.
- McCann, Dennis (1998)."Guernsey took to the skies for milking demonstration".Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived fromthe originalon 2015-09-24.Retrieved2006-10-07.
External links
[edit]- Tale of a flying cow is milked for all it's worth.South Coast Today
- Timemagazine, February 24, 1930,article about airshow; no mention of cow
- Timemagazine, March 3, 1930,article about airshow; no mention of cow