Not sure if anyone posted this a few days back. Apologies if covered.

This is the video of the original barrel roll performed by Tex Johnston over Lake Washington in Seattle in 1955 during Seafair–around the same week of the year /ourguy/ Richard Russell performed his barrel roll over Seattle. Tex was demonstrating the capabilities of the Boeing 707 (Dash 80 Prototype)

Tex is quoted beginning at the 00:12 mark that he saw a need to inform the public that:

>" Boeing was going to reduce the size of the world by a factor of two when measured by flight time never before in the history of aviation has there been such a gigantic step. I was convinced that the people should really understand…GET THEIR ATTENTION IN OTHER WORDS."

He chose to do this by doing two 1G barrel rolls over Lake Washington in full view of the crowds gathered for the 1955 Seafair Weekend.

He got their attention back then, and Richard Russell got our attention and probably the attention of many rational normies.