Wing Flappers

18 October 2005, 12:51 PM

You can search through old issues of Scientific American here: http://library8.library.cornell.edu/moa/moa_search.html
Ed Bertschy

aerohydro · 19 October 2005, 10:40 PM

Hi Ed,

Thank you for the tip about the old issues of Scientific American being placed online - unfortunately the site you mentioned only deals with the SciAm issues for the period 1846 - 1869, and the Baranowski machine didn't appear til 1883 (cf my posting of 11 July 2005). Thus, the search continues...

Cheers,
Paul

Mudflap Aviation · 13 January 2006, 12:10 PM

Hey Frankzait,

Thanks for the tip. I'm finishing up my fourth translation - from French. This latest book doesn't get technical, so I'm doing OK with it. And the gal (a university student, majoring in interpretation, fluent in German, Spanish, English, and fair in French) helping me is learning more than she ever dreamed possible about early aviation! I'll be back when I need help... Or can give any

Mudflap

AAC Cadet Leader · 22 March 2006, 01:19 PM

It's been awhile since this thread was active, but I'm still looking for that magazine article I stumbled upon in a library a couple of years ago about a modern day ornithopter designer who lives somewhere near the east coast. Wish I could remember what magazine it was in. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

SL DIII · 4 April 2006, 08:47 PM

Hi AAC,
I don't have an answer to your original question, but I thought this photo might be of interest to you. It is a rare photo of a dear friend (who may be familiar to you) flying the ORA's Passatt Ornithopter over the Hudson Valley. The engine wasn't even installed at the time, so he must have used "pedal power" to go aloft. He was able to keep up with the Beech Baron photo plane, but started to show signs of tiring when he reached an altitude of 8,500' or so.

Best regards,
SL DIII

PS - I have a really nice bridge that I'd like to sell you too!

AAC Cadet Leader · 5 April 2006, 02:21 AM

Mr. Sal Diii,
You can't fool me - if he had pedaled that thing all the way to 8,500 feet, he'd be wearing supplemental oxygen. Not only that, the wings would be blurred in the photo if it was a real ornithopter. I aint buyin' it. But, I will consider swapping you my oceanfront Arizona condo for your bridge.
-AAC
P.S. Am I ever gonna see that bathroom wallpaper pattern you promised me?

SL DIII · 5 April 2006, 10:40 PM

Hi AAC,
I used a high shutter speed so the wings wouldn't be blurry, or he was gliding to descend...whichever you might happen to more easily buy!

Haven't worked on your bathroom pattern yet, but coincidentally I am doing a mural in my bathroom of a different subject. Maybe when it is done (if that ever happens) I'll post it somewhere on the forum because it will involve WWI airplanes.

Best regards,
SL DIII

AAC Cadet Leader · 5 April 2006, 11:09 PM

Can't wait to see your WWI bathroom mural, Sal! Alright, I'll buy the explanation. So we have a deal then, right? Your bridge for my condo.

aerohydro · 10 April 2006, 10:45 PM

Hi Guys

Here's another photo of an ornithopter flapping its way through the air. This time round, its the George White ornithopter, which was tested at St Augustine, Florida circa 1927-28. (See posts 107, 108 etc of this thread.) The strong sepia-tone nature to the image is due to it being an old newpaper photograph that has aged fairly badly over the decades.

Quite an evocative little image, undeniably faked, but none-the-less one that's quite pleasing to see.

Cheers,
Paul

aerohydro · 10 April 2006, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerohydro

Hi All

Here is a mystery machine that I hope others can shed a bit of light on ...Professor Baranowski's Steam Flying Machine ... I know from some online searching that this drawing is traced from an illustration which appeared in an 1883 issue of "Scientific American", but that is all I've learnt. Sadly, I don't have access to such early issues of the journal, so for me, at this point the trail runs cold.

Hi All,

Some slight progress has been made in learning out more about Professor Baranowski's flying machine. I've now found a scan of the original print which had appeared in "Scientific American", and have narrowed the publication date down to the period January - June 1883.

Next step is to find the specific issue, and the text that accompanied the illustration ...

Cheers,
Paul