Maybe not a show stopping controversy but a little trivial knowledge for y’all. It has nothing to do with the male anatomy.
Most think the phrase “balls to the wall” came from a military aviation slang term. Where as the old throttles had balls on the top (there’s the balls). The engines were up front and a firewall separated the cockpit from the engine compartment (there’s the wall). Flying wide open…quick fast and in a hurry was throttle(s) pushed all the way forward … “balls to the wall”
Wait a minute…
Steam engines that preceded aviation by quite a bit had centrifugal governors that had (weighted) balls attached to pivoting arms. The faster the engine turned the farther out the arms would swing…the balls would swing out also. Either “balls out” wide open or “balls to the wall” of the room housing the engine…
Little trivial knowledge. Either way it means “full tilt boogie”
Most think the phrase “balls to the wall” came from a military aviation slang term. Where as the old throttles had balls on the top (there’s the balls). The engines were up front and a firewall separated the cockpit from the engine compartment (there’s the wall). Flying wide open…quick fast and in a hurry was throttle(s) pushed all the way forward … “balls to the wall”
Wait a minute…
Steam engines that preceded aviation by quite a bit had centrifugal governors that had (weighted) balls attached to pivoting arms. The faster the engine turned the farther out the arms would swing…the balls would swing out also. Either “balls out” wide open or “balls to the wall” of the room housing the engine…
Little trivial knowledge. Either way it means “full tilt boogie”
