13 Black Cats

The 13 Black Cats, also known as the 13 Flying Black Cats or simply the Black Cats, was a 1920s group of Los Angeles-based performers who would do stunts, primarily using airplanes and also including motorcycles and automobiles, for a set price. Examples included upside-down flying for $100 and blowing up an airplane in mid-air for $1500. They performed at airshows and in movies and were featured in newsreels of the era. The group's advertising used the tagline "If a Black Cat can't do it – It can't be done." History On its founding in 1924, the group had 13 members, led by Ronald "Bon" MacDougall (1901–1970), and was based at Burdette Airport—of which MacDougall was a part-owner, and where many of them worked or learned to fly—at Western Avenue and 102nd Street in Los Angeles, California. The group disbanded in 1929, due to competition from cut-rate pilots. Members Members of the group were supposed to have a name that was 13 letters long; some of those who did not satisfy this requirement acquired nicknames. Membership varied, but included the following: