On this day, Elm Farm Ollie (also known as Nellie Jay) was the first cow to fly in an aeroplane. The stunt took place during the International Aircraft Exhibition organised by the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce in an attempt to counterbalance the effect of the Great Depression on aircraft sales. It was hoped that getting a cow airborne would generate buzz and show the stability and safety of aircraft. Elm Farm Ollie was milked during her flight from Bismarck to St. Louis by Elsworth Bunce and her milk was collected in cartons and parachuted down to the spectators below. The stunt was also an opportunity for scientists to study the affect of high altitude on a cow being milked.
First Cow to Fly in an Aeroplane
18th February 1930