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"Flying the Beam" Board Game
To exploit air travel's popularity and to explain the new radio range system in an easily understood manner, Parker Brothers introduced "Flying the Beam" in 1941. The object of the game was to be the first to safely land at the airport using radio range navigation. Playing pieces were rubber DC-3s.
The game board graphically shows how the system worked:
- A radio beacon sent out signals in a pattern of Morse code A's (dot-dash) and N's (dash-dot).
- Where the signals intersected, they combined to produce a continuous tone, which a pilot could follow toward the radio beacon.
- If the aircraft strayed from the center of the beam, the signal for either an "A" or "N" alerted the pilot that he had strayed off course.
- The exact location of the range beacon was identified by a "cone of silence."
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
MEMORABILIA-Miscellaneous
Manufacturer
Parker Brothers Inc. Physical Description
Three plastic airplane-shaped game tokens for "Flying The Beam". One yellow, one green, one red.
Dimensions
3-D (Pieces, Each): 4 × 6 × 1cm (1 9/16 × 2 3/8 × 3/8 in.) Materials
Plastic Inventory Number
A19790160001
Credit Line
Donated by Frank Youngquist
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.
