Randy Stanley asks, "Does anyone know about 'flight simulators' being
driven by air motors and pneumatics?"

The answer is "certainly".  Edwin Link worked in the Link Organ Company
owned and run by his father.  Ed's primary interest for a long time was
in aviation which he thought was going to be a major movement within
the United States.

During the 1920s, Ed was a barnstormer pilot, flying around the
country, giving rides for a fee and generally promoting flying.  At
that time pilots were trained, one at a time, in real aircraft and
the attrition rate in those days was quite high plus it was rather
inefficient to train fleets of pilots for commercial flying on an
individual basis.

So Ed developed a mechanical machine that would allow for greater
experiences before leaving the ground.  Since he worked in a piano and
organ factory (Link) and had access to all the parts and machinery that
was used in their manufacture, it is not surprising that his trainer
should use a great many of these pieces and accompanying technology.

During the early 1930s both piano and organ sales were reduced to next
to nothing so he decided to produce his trainer in the organ factory.
It was referred to as the "Blue Box" and was roughly airplane shaped
with little stubby wings on each side and a tail section with a rudder
and elevator features.  As an aside, Ed asked Harvey Roehl one time if
he knew why the wings were exactly 6 feet 3 inches wide (I may have the
numbers off a bit; "old timer's memory") and Harvey said he didn't know.
Ed said that was because that was the biggest dimension that would fit
through the door on the freight elevator in the Water Street factory
in Binghamton, New York.

The trainers were received well enough but they didn't sell a lot
during the depression.  Then came World War Two and there was a great
need to train large numbers of pilots so large numbers of the "Blue
Box" were sold to the U.S. Government.  This provided the cash to Link
(now Link Aviation) to rebuild the company around its simulator
business which then thrived through the 1970s.

I know of one "Blue Box" that was restored and survives in the
Roberson Museum and Science Center in Binghamton, New York.  Roberson
also has several Link automatic pianos and a playable (the last I knew)
Link C Sharpe Minor theater organ.  The organ was donated by Ed and
Marian Link and he supervised the installation personally.  It was at
a concert at Roberson played on the Link organ that I saw Ed Link the
last time before his death.

I hope this diatribe is of interest.

Bob Conant
Bradenton, Florida