The first days of aviation were both exciting and dangerous times. Trials and tribulations steadily developed airplanes into the recognisable shapes that we see today. Clearly, there are several famous flying machines that stick out when looking back such as the Wright Flyer, yet many are also sadly forgotten. Here are five machines, both before and after the Wright Brothers, that marked great leaps forward. Chocks away!
Lilienthal No.11 Hang Glider (c.1896)
Otto Lilienthal was one of the first people to fly (successfully) with winged flying machines. During the 1890s, people flocked to see his short flights in a suburb of Berlin. Much like a modern hand glider, he would stride down a hill to take flight and swing his weight about to control his direction. This caught the attention of many future aviators including a certain Wilbur and Orville Wright based in Ohio.
The machine was made from willow with a covering of fabric. This same method of using a lightweight wooden structure covered with fabric became the standard way to construct aircraft in the early 20th century. Sadly, the daring engineer Lilienthal would never see this progress. One day, on the 9th August 1896, the glider stalled into the ground fatally injuring the aviator. Today, in Berlin, a monument sits on the same hill that Otto flew down commemorating his achievements.
Pilcher Triplane (c.1897)
Inspired by Otto Lilienthal, the British pioneer Percy Pilcher build several gliders around 1897. Taking these to the next level, he fitted a small two-cylinder engine to experiment with powered flight. The Engine was mounted at the front to balance the machine. This had a long drive shaft to a propeller towards the rear. Control was limited as Pilcher relied on swinging his body underneath the aircraft, much like Lilienthal's glider. It must have had to be pretty well balanced to start with!
Unfortunately, problems with the engine's crankshaft meant that testing the powered triplane glider was delayed. Instead, a demonstration was organised of another glider in Sanford Park, which is near Rugby in the UK. On the 30th September 1899, the craft broke up in mid-air and Pilcher was tragically killed. In 2003, a reproduction of the originally powered triplane was tested successfully. This shows that, if history had gone a different way, it could have been someone else to break the powered flight barrier first. It makes you think!
Blériot Xi (1909)
Louis Blériot, one of my personal heroes, is rightfully remembered as smashing one of the great landmarks of aviation - crossing a body of water. In 1909, he became the first person to fly over the English Channel on 25th July 1909. In just under half an hour, the aviator flew his Bleriot XI Monoplane from Calais in France to Dover in England. The daunting journey was rewarded with a grand prize of £1000 (which was a lot of money back then). Just look how pleased he was.
The 'Type XI' was the latest in a long line of experimental machines. It had a complex yet sophisticated landing gear setup that, through today's eyes, looks more like they were inspired by downhill mountainbike suspension. Aside from that, the aircraft was simple and practical. After the great publicity of the channel crossing, the aircraft was produced in large numbers and became one of the first practical aircraft to be sold to individuals wanting to taste flight for themselves. Naturally, with this publicity also came interest from various militaries from around the world keen to exploit aircraft for reconnaissance and other more deadly purposes. Quite incredibly, the Type XI served with 24 separate air forces.
"I headed for this white mountain... A break in the coast appeared to my right, just before Dover Castle. I was madly happy. I headed for it. I rushed for it. I was above ground!" - Louis Blériot
Farman III Biplane (1909)
Another aircraft that was sold around the world was the Farman III which, again, was prized for its reliability and practicality. In essence, it was another step forward for multi-use, stable and safe aircraft. The design was invented by Henry Farman, an Englishman based in France. The big step forward came when Farman took his aileron fitted machine and flew it on the first true cross-country flight from Bouy to Reims in 1908. The Farman III went on to be built in relatively large numbers which grew Henry Farman's aircraft manufacturing business into a flourishing enterprise. Many of his aircraft were used to train new pilots in multiple start-up air forces at this time.
Paulhan-Tatin Aero-Torpille (1911)
Despite looking quite advanced for its day, this sleek looking aircraft appeared in 1911. With graceful elliptical wings and rounded fuselage, it was built as a collaboration by French pioneer Victor Tatin and Louis Paulhan. A 50-hp engine sat just behind the cockpit which transmitted power via a drive shaft to a propeller at the rear of the airplane. For the 'pros' of this design, The Torpille was capable of 88mph - pretty darn quick for a plane of 1911. No wonder it was called a Aero 'torpedo' (the translation from French). On the other hand, for the 'cons', the plane was difficult to control in the air. For this reason, it enjoyed a brief existence and disappeared shortly afterwards. It was replaced by more stable biplanes and triplanes that, in time, developed powerful engines that got them going faster than the Torpille. Despite that, this streamlined aircraft was, in many ways, a vision of things to come.
In some small way, I think we can all take inspiration from these pioneers of aviation in our own personal battles to conquer the skies. People who try, then as now, have always been at the forefront of inventing, building and developing things. Sometimes all it takes is to look at a problem slightly differently and to ignore those who say it simply cannot be done. The reward, after all, can be very sweet indeed.
"When they saw me circle the church spire, the people went wild. The next day, papers reported of trams stopping... and the sick crawling to the windows." - Anton Fokker.
----------------------------------------------
Article by James Whomsley
FliteTest.com Editor
Log In to reply
Log In to reply
Log In to reply
Log In to reply
Don't forget the accomplishment of John J Montgomery, in 1884 his gliders were pioneering aircraft control.
Log In to reply