Flying Turf

Flying Turf, manufactured by O. D. Jennings and Company in 1935, is a notable example of the horse racing themed payout machines that flourished in the mid-1930s. Its production during this period marks a pivotal time for pinball, as manufacturers experimented with new themes and gameplay mechanics, and gambling-style payout games were a major part of the trade.

Flying Turf is a one-ball payout game: the player gets a single ball for 5 cents, the standard format for this category of machine. The playfield includes 14 trap holes, and the game pays out in nickels and "Prosperity Tokens", a distinctive touch that reflects the economic mood of the Depression era.

Little information survives about the designer of this specific machine, and surviving examples show interesting variations: IPDB pictures examples with three-digit playfield scores as well as two-digit scores matching the flyer, and one example has a different cabinet front, possibly the result of an operator swapping cabinets. Nonetheless, Flying Turf remains an interesting piece of pinball history, offering a glimpse into the payout-game era of the 1930s.