Breguet's Pre-1914 ID Challenge #035

[aerohydro]

Here we go. Something a bit different, but it's within the rules!

Cheers,
Paul
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Scoreboard at the start of #035

6.30 Rbailey
5.40 Varese2002 ===> 12 hour wait

4.20 Aquilius =====> immediate answer
4.20 richard B
3.30 matte_kudasai
3.00 Airarticles
3.00 Cruze
3.10 aerohydro
1.00 Doc
1.00 joegertler
1.00 paolomiana
0.50 Rod_Filan
0.40 Wind In The Wires
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Reference list held by Rod Filan:Masterlist Breguet pre-1914 ID Challenges
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Breguet's Rules

1. The thread title must be "Bréguet's Pre-1914 ID Challenge #......"
2. The score board, link and rules must be copied to the beginning of each thread, so that we know where we are. The score board and the correct answer to the challenge must also be placed at end of each thread.
3. The flying object must have been dreamt up before 1914 (no limit backwards in time ....)
4. There are no limits to the flying object for the pre-1914 series. There is no ruling that it must be flown, or completely built
5. Machines which exist only as 'paper', that is absolutely no material has been cut to construct it, are excluded from this ID Challenge
6. The picture / drawing must show as much of the flying object as possible, but views showing the machine 'incomplete' are possible (with discretion)
7. Challenges which depict a machine already earlier presented are disqualified
8. If there is any doubt as to the eligibility of a flying object for the challenge details should be PM'd to Breguet BEFORE the object is submitted.
9. Once someone has got 5 correct answers under their belt they belong to the ROYALTY. Once they belong to the ROYALTY they must wait 12hrs after the posting of the new challenge before they can post an answer.
10. To be eligible for correct ID an answer must include at least one characteristic of the aircraft that helped in its identification.
11. The first person to ID the challenge correctly gets to post the next challenge. If this can not be done for any reason Breguet himself will post the next challenge.
12. If a ROYALTY gives the correct answer too early, the challenge is over, he gets no point but has to post the next one. In lieu of the fact that the "novices" have in effect been "cheated" of their "exclusive" time that next post should be a relatively easy one. Anyone repeating the correct answer at the right time gets neither a point nor the right to post the next challenge.
13. The final arbitor in relation to questions about the rules will be Breguet

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[Doc]

It looks like a classic wrapped string propelled toy helicopter. These were used in China a thousand years ago. If you are looking for the specific origin of this drawing, I have no idea. Doc

[matte_kudasai]

Looking at simplicity of this "aircraft" it became obvious that this is something from very old times, at least from beginning of 19th century or earlier.
Then, we will open some books as Putnam's "Pioneer Aircraft".
Of course, we will find this simple model. This is model glider tested by Thomas Walker and published in the book "A Treatise on the Art of Flying" in 1810 with drawings of the ornithopter in which the operator flapped the wings using his arms and legs. Model was

a simple 20in (50.8cm)-span wood and paper fixed-wing model glider. He concluded that the air beneath its wings was compressed by the model's weight and 'by its reaction against the under side and back edges of the wings, they were [sustained upon the air and] projected with an oblique descent from one end of the room to the other'

[Varese2002]

I just looked into a complete scan of the book of Thomas Walker of 1810, but as the book contains no drawings I doubt if this is the machine from Walker. Sure a picture of it is not in his scan of the book.



*** Addendum - On the frontispiece is especially noted that there were plates. But not here, probably this scanned copy did not have those plates ? ****

Cheers

Kees

[aerohydro]

Well, that didn't take long!

Congratulations to matte_kudasai for correctly identifying it as the 1810 Thomas Walker model glider as illustrated in his book A Treatise upon the Art of Flying.

The book was first published in 1810, with a second edition appearing in 1831. It's been republished a few times since - it was included within James Means' 1895 Aeronautical Annual and was #3 of the Aeronautical Classics series published by the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1910.

For those interested in learning more about the model, and perhaps are even curious enough to make their own replica, here are some scans from the book (though, if you are really keen, the entire publication can be downloaded for free from Google Books.)

First, two pages of text describing the rationale behind the model and how it operates:





Then, a description of the glider illustration, giving sizes and materials:



Cheers,
Paul

[aerohydro]

Answer to Breguet's Pre-1914 ID Challenge #035:

The 1810 Thomas Walker model glider
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Scoreboard at the end of Challenge #035

6.30 Rbailey
5.40 Varese2002 ===> 12 hour wait

4.20 Aquilius =====> immediate answer
4.20 richard B
4.30 matte_kudasai
3.10 aerohydro
3.00 Airarticles
3.00 Cruze
1.00 Doc
1.00 joegertler
1.00 paolomiana
0.50 Rod_Filan
0.40 Wind In The Wires
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Matte_kudasai is to issue the next Challenge!
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Reference list held by Rod Filan:Masterlist Breguet pre-1914 ID Challenges
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