Talk:Volkmar Wentzel

A fact from Volkmar Wentzel appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 2 April 2011 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that, in 1960, Volkmar Wentzel photographed Capt. Joseph Kittinger making a record-setting 102,800-foot (31,300 m) skydive (pictured)?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2011/April.

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Kittenger Picture

"On August 16, 1960, he photographed Captain Joseph Kittinger making a 102,800 foot (31,333 m) skydive which set the record for the highest parachute jump of all time"

This sentence seems to imply that Wentzel was on the balloon taking the picture, I am sure that is not the case. I am guessing he did the camera work. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.249.51.26 (talk) 15:39, 2 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Indeed. As I quite clearly recall, Kittinger went up alone. The Air Force wouldn’t put a photographer in a pressure suit and let the photographer set a world altitude record greater than Kittinger’s by staying longer in a balloon that just shed a few hundred pounds of ballast (Kittinger and his pressure suit).
As I rather clearly recall, Kittinger flipped a switch on the camera that started it automatically taking a series of pictures, and then he jumped. The text that was there (…On August 16, 1960, he photographed Captain Joseph Kittinger making a 102,800 foot…) was very misleading. It strongly suggested that Wentzel was there to snap the picture. It is much more accurate to state that Wentzel was responsible for the photograph (that is, if anyone can dredge up the National Geographic article to which the article links). Wentzel probably was responsible for choosing, configuring, and installing the automated camera in the gondola.
I’ve corrected the text. Greg L (talk) 21:34, 2 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Bill Buckley

Was his companion THE Bill Buckley, or another person of the same name? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.68.21.86 (talk) 23:49, 9 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]