Barn Door Kite Memories

by Bill
(TN, USA.)

I built your Barn-Door kite and it is extraordinarily stable! So much fun and impressive to see and fly.

I wanted to build a barn-door because my dad taught me how to build one "back in the day" - (early 60's), from the color "funny-paper" section of the Sunday newspaper. He used sticks harvested from a nearby field, cotton twine and a paste-glue made from flour and water. His kites were always fun to build and fly - we would try and see how high they could get with bales of cotton twine!

He also showed me how to make "parachutes" with handkerchiefs and twine and a washer weight. Once made, the "parachute" would have a bent pin inserted through the material at the apex of the chute, and, with a brisk wind, hanging it on the line would cause it to travel upwards towards the kite. When it reached the desired height, one would flick the kite line and the parachute would drop to the earth at a great distance. All the neighborhood kids would run after it in order to be the one to catch it before it hit the ground.

Thanks for reacquainting me with this thrilling simple pleasure!