Who invented the aircraft. Mozhaisky, Santos-Dumont, the Wright brothers: who first invented the plane? The heaviest plane in the world

People have dreamed of taking off into the air and soaring there like birds since ancient times. Bird observations suggested that humans need wings to fly. The ancient Greek myth of Icarus and Daedalus tells how the first homemade flying machine was constructed - feather wings held together by wax. Following the mythical heroes, many daredevils developed their own wing designs. But their dreams of ascending into the sky did not come true, the case ended in disaster.

The next step in an attempt to invent a working aircraft was the use of movable wings. They were set in motion by the force of their legs or arms, but they only clapped, and were not able to lift the entire structure into the sky.

Leonardo da Vinci also did not stand aside. Known for the development of Leonardo aircraft with movable wings, set in motion by the force of human muscles. The first aircraft, which was designed by the brilliant Italian scientist and inventor, is considered the prototype of the helicopter. Leonardo drew a diagram of a device equipped with a huge propeller made of starch-soaked linen material, 5 meters in diameter.

As conceived by the designer, four men were supposed to rotate special levers in a circle. Modern scientists say that in order to set this structure in motion, the strength of the muscles of four people was not enough. But if Leonardo da Vinci used a powerful spring as a trigger, his aircraft could make a short, but real flight. Da Vinci did not stop developing designs for flights, he designed devices that could soar with the help of and in the 1480s he drew a drawing of a device "for jumping from any height without harm to humans." The device shown in the picture differs little from a modern parachute.

As surprising as it may sound, the first aircraft that took off into the sky was devoid of wings. In the late eighteenth century, the Montgolfier brothers, the French Jacques Etienne and Joseph Michel, invented the bulky balloon. This aircraft, filled with warm air, could lift cargo or people. The compatriot of inventors Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier took to the skies on a hot air balloon. A month later, he made his first free flight in a hot air balloon with the Marquis d "Arland. This happened in 1783.

Moved by the will of the wind, people started thinking about controlled flights. In 1784, just a year after the first hot air balloon flight, the mathematician, inventor and military engineer Jacques Meunier presented a design for an airship (translated from French this word means "controlled"). He came up with an elongated streamlined shape of airships, a method of attaching a nacelle to a ball, a ballonet inside a shell to replenish gas leaks. And most importantly, the Meunier aircraft was equipped with a propeller, which, while rotating, was supposed to push the structure forward.

Only it was not possible to embody the brilliant idea of ​​Jacques Meunier in those days, a suitable propeller had not yet been invented.

In any case, it was thanks to the developments of scientists of past centuries and their home-made aircraft that the development and appearance of fast, roomy and reliable aircraft became possible.

As with a flight into space, when they tell you that Shepard was the first astronaut, so with the first plane, not everything is as clear as they say

The plane has appeared many times, in almost any country they will insist on names convenient for them, since any primacy is a purely political matter and is reflected in the prestige of the country. There were many projects and models for exhibitions, some did not go further than drawings, there were many works on gliders, for us the project of Teleshov, who swung straight at a jet plane with a delta wing in 1867, a kind of prototype of the MiG-21 and Mirage, in 1881 is closer. the plane was offered in Russia by A. Winkler, then S.S. Nezhdanovsky. in 1882 and Baranovsky S.I - an airplane with a folding wing. Naval officer Felix du Temple (1823-1890) began work on the aircraft back in the 1850s. In 1857 he received a patent for a monoplane aircraft with a steam engine and a pulling propeller. There are three unconfirmed versions: that it was the first aircraft to take off briefly with a man in the period 1869-1874; that he crashed on takeoff and that due to financial problems he did not fly at all. But, du Temple, in any case, was the first to take the difficult and important step - from speculative reasoning about flight and experiments with small models to the practical implementation of the idea of ​​an airplane.

At the beginning of 1877, after successful experiences with flying models, Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaisky turned to the Russian Ministry of War with a proposal to create a full-size aircraft. According to the project, the aircraft was supposed to be a monoplane with one pulling and two pushing screws. The insignificant amount allocated to Mozhaisky in 1877 for experiments with models was almost completely spent by this time, and the designer was forced to build an aircraft, mainly for own funds... Work began in 1881, when A.F. Mozhaisky brought from England two steam engines made according to his project (it was planned to install an engine internal combustion but they were heavy and imperfect). In 1882, the designer was allocated a site on a military field in Krasnoe Selo, near St. Petersburg, and Mozhaisky began building the aircraft. On June 7, 1883, AF Mozhaisky submitted to the Headquarters of the Guards and the St. Petersburg Military District, on the territory of which the site of his work was located, a petition "On permission to conduct experiments on an aeronautical apparatus." According to these materials, the aircraft was a bracing monoplane with two steam engines in the fuselage and three propellers - one in front and two on the sides (in the cutouts in the wing). The fuselage was in the form of a boat with a wooden frame and linen sheathing, there were placed steam engines, oil tanks, seats for people. To the upper edges of the sides were attached rectangular wing consoles with an elongation of about 1.6 m and a span of about 23 m, lining of silk, impregnated with varnish for airtightness. The engines installed on the aircraft were steam engines with double expansion of steam, the power of one was 10 liters. with. another - 20 liters. with. The four-bladed propellers were made of wood and had a diameter of about 4 m.The aircraft was mounted on a four-wheeled chassis, and wooden rails were made for the takeoff run. In 1886 Mozhaisky ordered two duplicates of a 20-horsepower steam engine at the Obukhovsky plant and intended to install not two, but three engines on the plane. However, these plans remained unfulfilled due to the death of the inventor in 1890. From the volume of the "Military Encyclopedia" published by I.D. Sytin in 1916: “The first flight of an airplane on a military field in Krasnoe Selo gave poor results: the device separated from the ground, but, being unstable, tilted to its side and broke its wing. There were no further experiments due to lack of funds. Mozhaisky's apparatus is interesting as the first practical attempt to build a large airplane. " Copies about whether the Mozhaisky plane flew or did not fly, more than one thousand were broken, the models were blown through the TsAGI wind tunnels (the question is how they were made, there is not even a consensus on the design), while controversial results were obtained, the mathematics is: who how like it, he thinks so. According to a number of testimonies, the plane flew, whether it was a screen effect, a gust of wind or the inclined rails contributed to it, we do not know. At the very least, modern aircraft modelers can easily imagine a model tumbling in the air and landing easily on four chassis.

Clement Ader built his first aircraft, Aeolus, in 1886. It was a bat-like craft driven by a light steam engine of his own design (4 cylinders, 20 hp (15 kW). The wings, which spanned 14 yards (13 m), were equipped with a wing tilt system) the total weight was 650 pounds (300 kg). On October 9, 1890, Ader attempted a flight on Aeol, which took off and flew about 50 m Ader built an airplane, which he named Avion II (also called Zephyr or Aeolus II), it flew in August 1892 at a distance of 200 yards (about 182 m). Avion III, he attempted to fly on October 14, 1897. Some viewers claimed that Avion rolled, took off and flew over 300 yards (273 m), others that crashed before take off, the official commission refused to further funded ui, but made a report that the flights were successful. Ader published in 1909 the popular L "Aviation Militaire," on air warfare and the concept of aircraft carriers with a flat flight deck and superstructure-island, lifts and hangars.

And what about the Wright brothers? Not better, but in many ways much worse than those worth mentioning, fortunately there were dozens of different successful attempts and hundreds of designers. The Wright brothers created their apparatus initially for military use in the US Army (it was assumed that for intelligence). On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers flew four flights in a straight line with a duration of 12 to 59 seconds and a range of 37 to 260 m on a Flyer aircraft designed by them.All flights ended in a collision with the ground with damage to the device (the aviators themselves did not suffer, in the first three In some cases, the damage was minor, so the repair took less than an hour). Nevertheless, these flights (or at least the last of them) are considered to be the first examples of controlled steady flight in an airplane in history (sometimes it is briefly described as "successful flight"). Takeoff was carried out horizontally against a strong headwind, which must be reproached with other structures. On October 5, 1905, a Flyer III aircraft flew along a closed route 39 km long, a catapult was used during takeoff. The device had enough effective system controls on all three axes. On the other hand, only one replica of the Wright brothers' plane took off successfully, and using all the knowledge of modern aerodynamics. But who was the first to build an airplane, officially recognized and successfully flying, without any "buts", manipulations, distortions and assumptions?

None other than the Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont (July 20, 1873 - July 23, 1932). Born on the hacienda Cabangu in the Brazilian city of Palmira, which is now called Santos Dumont in the state of Minas Gerais. His father was French, was an engineer, and he made many technical improvements, his innovations were so successful that he made a great fortune and became known as the "coffee king of Brazil". From childhood, Alberto was fascinated by machines, from an early age he learned how to operate steam tractors and a locomotive, which were used on the family plantation. In 1891, they moved to Paris, immediately buying a car. Santos-Dumont considered himself the first "air sportsman": first as a passenger, then he began to make independent flights in balloons, and then to design his own models of balloons. In 1898, Santos-Dumont flew in the first balloon of his own design, which was called "Brésil" ("Brazil"). From 1898 to 1905, Santos Dumont built and flew 11 airships. On one occasion, he even flew in an airship early in the morning to his own apartment at 9 Rue Washington, directly opposite the Champs Elysees, not far from the Arc de Triomphe. His greatest achievement in aeronautics was winning the Deutsch de la Meurthe prize. Achievements in aeronautics of Santos-Dumont made him famous not only in Europe but throughout the world. He won several more prizes and became a super popular friend of millionaires, aviation pioneers and royalty and presidents, including Roosevelt. He set the fashion - the pocket watch was uncomfortable in flight, he ordered his friend Cartier Wrist Watch and looking at how he timed the time on such a clock, the most desperate fashionistas, wanting to be like a hero, ordered such.

By 1905, he had completed work on his first airplane project, as well as a helicopter. His main achievement was an airplane flight on October 23, 1906, when he flew 14 bis in front of many witnesses, flying a distance of 60 meters at a height of two to three meters. This was a well-documented case, confirmed by the French Aero Club, the first flight in a heavier-than-air vehicle powered by an engine in Europe, and the world's first observed flight of an airplane taking off from the ground with a fixed landing gear and using only its own engine in calm weather. ... Having completed this flight, Santos-Dumont won the Arshdecon Prize, founded by the Frenchman Ernest Arshdecon in July 1906, which was to be awarded to the first pilot who flew more than 25 meters using his own engine alone. On November 12, 1906, Santos Dumont set the first official world record in aviation, flying 220 meters in less than 22 seconds. Santos-Dumont's last project was the Demoiselle monoplane (numbers 19 to 22). This aircraft was used as its own vehicle Santos Dumont, and he willingly allowed others to copy his project. The high-wing Demoiselle had a wingspan of 5.10 m and a length of 8 m. Its weight was just over 110 kg, along with Santos-Dumont. The pilot was located below the wing-fuselage junction, slightly behind the wheels, and controlled the tail surfaces using the steering wheel. The cables supporting the wing were made from piano strings. The Demoiselle was built in just fifteen days. The plane showed outstanding results for its time, easily flying 200 m above the ground on test flights at a speed of 100 km / h; The Demoiselle was the last aircraft of Santos-Dumont. He flew on it at various times in 1909 in Paris, as well as in its environs. Among his achievements - the first international flight with a range of 8 km, from San Sira to Buk on September 13, 1909, returning the next day, and another flight on September 17, 1909 with a range of 18 km in 16 minutes. The Demoiselle, equipped with a two-cylinder engine, became very popular. Roland Garros, the future French ace of the First World War, flew it over Belmont Park in New York in 1910. The Santos-Dumont plane was better than the others built by this time and was recommended to those novice aviators who would like to achieve the best results in the shortest possible time with a minimum of cost. American companies sold Demoiselle blueprints and parts several years later, Santos-Dumont gave Demoiselle blueprints for free use, believing that aviation would become the main direction of human progress. A replica of the Santos-Dumont plane was shown and flew at the opening of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, paying tribute to the fellow countryman, the hero and the first designer of the real plane.

The Wright brothers are two Americans who invented and built the world's first airplane capable of flying. On December 17, 1903, the first manned flight took place in an airplane - the first controlled manned flight in a heavier-than-air vehicle with an engine.

Let's remember how it was.

Like many geniuses, the Wright Brothers were not educational stars. So, they visited high school, but did not receive diplomas of its completion. In 1892, the brothers opened a repair shop and bicycle shop, and then began producing bicycles under their own trademark in 1896. They used the money they earned at their enterprise to finance their aviation experiments.

To the left is O? Ripped Wright, to the right is Ui? Lbur Wright. They were 34 and 38 years old in 1905, respectively. (Photo by Library of Congress):

In 1896, there were three important events in world aviation. In May, Samuel Pierpont Langley, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, successfully launched a steam-powered unmanned aircraft. In the summer, Chicago engineer and renowned aviator Octave Chanute hired several young men to test various types of gliders over the sand dunes along the shores of Lake Michigan. In August, Otto Lilienthal died in the crash of his glider. The brothers were impressed by these events.

Workshop at the Wright Brothers bicycle shop, 1897. (Photo by Library of Congress):

In spite of tragic fate Otto Lilienthal, the Wright brothers adopted his strategy: glide flight experiments, in which flight control systems were tested, before the first powered flight. At the beginning of their experiments, they identified control as the unresolved third part of the "flight problem." They believed that sufficient knowledge and experience had already been accumulated to solve the other two problems - lift and engines. And in this they differed sharply from the more experienced aviators of their day, who built powerful engines, attached them to aircraft bodies equipped with unproven controls, and tried to take off without preliminary flight tests.

Crashed glider, October 10, 1900. (Photo Library of Congress):

Based on observation, one of the brothers, Wilber, concluded that birds change the angle of the ends of their wings to force their bodies to turn to the right or left. The brothers decided that it would also be in a good way for a flying machine to turn, create a "roll" or "tilt" in the direction of a turn, just like birds do - and just like cyclists: the brothers were familiar with this experience.

Dan Tate (left) and Wilbur Wright (right) with a glider, September 19, 1902. (Photo by Library of Congress):

The design of the Wright brothers' first full-size glider was based on the work of their predecessors: the Chanute-Herring biplane glider, which made successful flights in 1896 near Chicago; lift data published by Lilienthal. The struts between the wings of their glider were surrounded by cables of their own design.

The experiments continue. North Carolina, October 10, 1902. (Photo Library of Congress):

In 1902, the Wright brothers took a huge step forward and performed major wind tunnel tests on 200 wings of various shapes and profiles, followed by in-depth testing of 38 of them.

The 1902 Wright brothers' glider made its first flights as an unmanned kite. Working with the wind tunnel turned out to be very useful: the lift of the glider corresponded to the calculated one. The new glider also had new feature: Rigid vertical rudder, which should have eliminated a number of previous problems.

With this new method of control, the Wright achieved true control of their craft for the first time on October 8, 1902, and became the most important invention in the history of aviation. In September and October, they flew 700 to 1,000 flights, the longest of which lasted 26 seconds and had a range of 190 meters. Hundreds of well-controlled flights after installation convinced the brothers to start building a heavier-than-air powered aircraft.

Wilber makes a turn with a movable rudder on October 24, 1902. (Photo by Library of Congress):

In 1903, the Wright brothers built a Flyer-1 equipped with an engine (pictured below), the material of which was the usual construction material for Wright vehicles - spruce, a strong and light tree. They also designed and manufactured wooden propellers as well as a gasoline engine made at their bike shop. (Photo by Library of Congress):

Wilbur Wright at the helm of a damaged Flyer 1 after a failed flight on December 14, 1903. (Photo by Library of Congress):

Modern wind tunnel tests of 1903 propellers showed that they had an efficiency of more than 75% in the conditions of the first flights, and in fact had a maximum efficiency of 82%. This is a very big achievement considering that modern wooden propellers have a maximum efficiency of 85%.

The first flight was made by Orville, he flew 36.5 meters in 12 seconds, this flight was recorded in the famous photograph (below). The next two flights were about 52 and 60 meters long, made by Wilber and Orville, respectively. Their height was about 3 meters above ground level.

The first manned flight on an airplane. This is the first flight of Flyer 1 on December 17, 1903, piloted by Orville, Wilber - on the ground. Photo of John T. Daniels from the Kill Davil Hills Rescue Station, used Orville's camera on a tripod. (Photo by Library of Congress):

The greatest fundamental achievement of the Wright brothers was their discovery of 3 axes of rotation of the aircraft, which allowed pilots to effectively control the aircraft and maintain its balance during flight. This method has become the main one, and it remains so for all types of aircraft.

In 1904, the Wright brothers built Flyer II (pictured) and set up an airfield at Huffman Prairie, a cow pasture 13 kilometers northeast of Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Library of Congress):

In 1905, the brothers built the new Flyer III, in which important improvements were made that significantly improved stability and control, preparing the basis for a series of six "long flights" lasting 17 to 38 minutes and a range of 20 to 39 km 1 , A 4-km route around Huffman Prairie from September 26 to October 5. Wilber completed the last and longest flight, a range of 39.4 km in 38 minutes and 3 seconds, ending in a safe landing after running out of fuel.

Flight on September 29, 1905. (Photo by Library of Congress):

The Wright Brothers certainly took steps to keep the focus on their flights to a minimum. Fearing that competitors will take advantage of their ideas. They wrote to the US government, and then to Great Britain, France and Germany with a proposal to sell the flying car, but refused demonstration flights, insisting on the preliminary signing of the contract. They didn't even want to show pictures of their Flyer. (Photo by Library of Congress):

The Wright brothers did not fly in 1906 and 1907, while negotiating with the American and European governments during this period. After the final signing of contracts with the French company and the US Army, they returned in May 1908 with a 1905 Flyer, in which the pilot and passenger seats were redesigned, and began to prepare for important demonstration flights for their contracts. According to the contracts, the planes were supposed to be able to carry a passenger.

Plane crash during an unsuccessful demonstration flight for representatives of the US Army, September 17, 1908. A few minutes after takeoff at an altitude of about 30 m, the propeller broke, depriving the aircraft of control. (Photo by Library of Congress):

Deeply shocked by the accident, Wilber decided to conduct even more spectacular demonstration flights; in the days and weeks that followed, he set new records for altitude and duration.

In July 1909, Orville, with the help of Wilber, completed demonstration flights for the US Army, fulfilling the requirement to make a two-seater aircraft capable of flying with a passenger for an hour at an average speed of 40 mph (64 km / h) and landing safely. They sold the plane to the military for $ 30,000.

A close-up of the Wright brothers' aircraft with a passenger seat and a pilot seat, 1911. (Photo by Library of Congress):

Wilber's flight peaked in early October, when, in celebration of the 300th anniversary of the discovery of the Hudson River in New York, he flew around the Statue of Liberty for a 33-minute flight up and down the river along Manhattan in full view of about one million New Yorkers. These flights brought immense fame to the Wright brothers in America. (AP Photo):

During the demonstration flights in the south of France, where Wilber made many more demonstration flights, the passengers in which were officers, journalists and statesmen, and on February 15, 1909, his sister Catherine (left). (Photo by Library of Congress):

Demonstration flight for the US Army in 1909. (Photo by Harris & Ewing / Library of Congress):

Both brothers remained bachelors. Wilber once sarcastically remarked that he "couldn't feed his wife and the flying car at the same time." The story of the Wright brothers was filmed several times. In addition, the brothers appear in some films as minor characters, there are documentaries, animation and educational films about aviators, their inventions and flights.

Despite the fact that the Wright brothers were not the first to build and fly on experimental aircraft, they were the first who could control such a flight in the air, which made possible the further development of aircraft construction. (Photo by Library of Congress).

Introduce modern world without planes and flights is impossible. Being one of the most important assets among the inventions of mankind, it was born due to the frantic desire of man to have wings behind his back. Surely our ancestors dreamed of hovering in the sky. Admiring the birds and spreading their arms, they imagined themselves next to them. Even a child sincerely believes in the existence of fabulous flying devices, truly envious of the heroes of magical stories. Dreams came true only after millennia - when a sufficient amount was accumulated scientific knowledge... The experience gained in the course of many unsuccessful attempts, which made the creator of the world's first aircraft and his predecessors, is useful today.

Maholet: the beginning of the journey

Back in the 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci was convinced that a person, having overcome air resistance, has every chance to rise into the air. Huge wings can help him in this. Calculations and detailed study bird flight pushed him to the idea of ​​creating such an apparatus as a flywheel. Leonardo da Vinci tried to implement the idea, which was inspired by his ordinary dragonfly.

Many have heard that the air environment is often called the "fifth ocean", but not everyone can give an explanation for such an eloquent epithet. The history of aeronautics and aviation remembers that among the enthusiasts who wanted to conquer uncharted airspace, there were many captains sea ​​ships... Perhaps they were striving to learn about the unexplored expanses, but, throwing aside romance, it is worth noting that the sailors had great knowledge of complex technical devices, knew how to fly large frigates. If necessary, they could easily repair or build a new ship. Therefore, the experience of professional sailors came in handy in the process of creating the first self-propelled devices above the ground.

Modern civic and a history rich in many experiments, has gone through feelings of admiration and disappointment, loss of life and new opportunities.

The appearance of the first gliders

At the beginning of the 19th century, the first non-motorized gliders appeared. By imitating birds, inventors gave their creations a similar shape. However, the first aircraft could not gain a foothold in use, since the desire to lift up incredible inventions for that time was not crowned with luck.

They were pushed off a cliff, rolled down hills, dispersed with the help of horses, but no matter how hard the creators tried, they failed to become the authors of the first completed project in the history of air affairs, which later acquired the name "aviation".

History remembers in 1857 the first sailor, Jean-Marie Les Brie, who managed to lift a glider into the sky, breaking a 100-meter height. "Albatross" (as he called his technical miracle), depending on the direction of the wind and the density of air masses, had a chance to fly about 200 meters.

Mozhaisky's success

Russian aviation can safely be proud that the admiral of the tsarist fleet was able to construct the first aircraft equipped with a steam engine, which took off from the surface of the earth with a man on board. The Creator gave it a promising name - "aerial projectile". The dimensions of the aircraft of that period were impressive: the length of the wings was about 24 meters, the fuselage was about 15 meters. Alexander Mozhaisky - the creator of the world's first flying machine - could not complete the matter. But his developments became fundamental in the further development of aeronautics.

Merit of the American Wright Brothers

Sensing the imminent success, the best inventors around the world relied on the experience of previous discoverers. Without giving up and being in a continuous search for a suitable idea, they tried to create a lighter flying machine and were confident in the need to supply it with a more powerful engine. However, not everyone thought about controlling the winged device. The main goal it was easy to take off. Such hindsight cost Otto Lilienthal's life. In 1896, his glider turned over from the impact of a sharp wind gust, and the device crashed from a height. Therefore, not only famous aircraft designers deserve attention, but also those who were able to submit to the first aircraft.

The Wright brothers, inventors from America, were able to master the essential skills of piloting and balancing a flying device in an air harbor. The advantage of their design was the confident gasoline engine. Despite the fact that it did not much resemble a modern aircraft, it rather looked like a flying bookcase, it weighed about 300 kg. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first successful tests of the Flyer took place. Holding out in the air for 12 seconds, the Wright brothers gave the green light to man to master the heavens.

early 20th century

The next few years, the whole world was shocked by the success of the Americans, thanks to which aviation continued its path of formation. History mentions flashing newspaper headlines, a bird's eye film shot by a Parisian cameraman, and specialized publications dedicated to aviation achievements. However, the testers of the first aeronautical machines were rightfully called daredevils. Russian aviation, according to its representatives, was an uncomfortable and unsafe occupation. For example, in the notes of the famous pilot of that period, Boris Rossinsky, there are sketches and memories of flights. Among the unpleasant moments during the flight, he especially remembered the smoking oil. The smoking acrid smoke made it impossible to breathe fully, as a result of which the pilot had to apply ammonia to his nose from time to time.

In addition, the lack of brakes forced the aviator to jump out of the cockpit on the move.

Creation of Sikorsky - Russian hero

Several years have passed since the launch of the American Flyer, and on the territory Russian Empire already on high level the production of domestic aircraft was launched. Then the first passenger aircraft appeared, the creator of which was Fully consistent with its historical name, "Ilya Muromets" was a real giant among its analogues. In addition, the salon was distinguished by conditions unprecedented before: several bedrooms, the presence of a toilet and a bathroom, electricity and heating. The Ilya Muromets passed its first practical test in the winter of 1914. Sixteen passengers with a dog on board received a lot of emotions from the flight, after which the plane made a successful landing. Six months later, comfortable aircraft had to take on the role of bombers, participating in the First World War.

Tupolev's distance record

The legendary ANT-25 is located in the Chkalovsky Museum Hangar. This plane was once admired and was recognizable for its huge crimson wings. The great Russian aircraft designer Andrey Tupolev was awarded many awards for his significant contribution to the development of aviation.

The famous Soviet pilot, in 1937, managed to set a real range record on this device. Subsequently, ANT-25 acquired just such a second name. The distance from Moscow to Vancouver is about 8.5 thousand kilometers, and Tupolev's aviation brainchild was able to overcome it in one go.

Air tank IL-2

Il-2 attack aircraft became famous during the Great Patriotic War... He terrified the Nazis, since he acted as the main air defense of Soviet soldiers over the battlefield. Covering his soldiers with cannons, machine guns and missiles, he led the ground forces forward.

One of its clear advantages was its strong armor, allowing it to fight off the attacking fighters of enemy Germany. Thanks to the power this aircraft their release prevailed in number over other military counterparts.

Modest U-2

By the forties of the XX century, in the territory of the USSR, the leading aircraft designers had created countless numbers, however, not only were they entrusted with the protection of the Soviet sky.

Along with them, flying machines intended for peaceful purposes participated in the battle. Among them place of honor occupied U-2. This modest trainer had two seats, was completely undemanding to use, and could land outside the designated area. In addition, the aircraft was prized for its maneuverability and quietness. This allowed military pilots to almost silently sneak up to the enemy in the dark and deliver decisive strikes.

Having distinguished itself in the battles of 1943, the U-2 received insignia and a new name. In honor of Nikolai Polikarpov, a famous aircraft designer, throughout the entire Soviet space, it was renamed Po-2.

Conclusion

Aviation is multifaceted, the history of which still has many worthy examples and exemplary designs, including the best cargo-lifting, civil aircraft and fighters.

It is impossible not to mention the elegant Tu-144 airliner of 1968, a fighter with jet engine MiG-25, orbital planes "Columbia" and "Buran". An important breakthrough was the use of strategic devices such as unmanned aerial vehicles.

If a person once saw a dream where he flew, the desire to repeat this in real life will never leave him. You can fulfill your dream by simply being a passenger on an airplane, or having received the appropriate education in order to later sit at the helm, or by becoming the greatest aircraft designer.

Then I assure you, you would be answered differently.

In the United States, they would say that the palm, no doubt, belongs to the Wright brothers. In Europe and South America(especially in France and Brazil) would have called the name of Alberto Santos-Dumont. In Russia, the objection would be that this, of course, is Rear Admiral Alexander Mikhailovich Mozhaisky. But who invented the first airplane? And in what year was the plane invented?

In most countries, in books on aviation, this name appears as the inventors of the world's first aircraft. Was it so?

Americans Wirbull and Orville Wright from Ohio first designed gliders, and only then decided to create an aircraft equipped with an engine.

Wright brothers.

Mechanic Charlie Taylor helped them create it. The engine was very simple and even primitive compared to modern models... But one must bear in mind the fact that, in fact, the brothers did not have any starting point.

They focused on ship propellers when designing an aircraft. The engine had no carburetor or fuel pump.

And the chain feed chain was manufactured by a company specializing in the production of chains for car engines. Its power was 9 W, and it weighed 77 kg.

Airplane model Flyer-1

The plane received the name Flyer-1, and its weight was 283 kg.

First experienced December 14, 1903 but the attempt was unsuccessful. Almost immediately, he fell.

December 17, 1903 is considered the day when the world's first powered aircraft took off. True he flew only 12 seconds and 36.5 meters, at a speed of 43 km / h. Subsequently, the brothers still flew on it.

The most long distance, which he flew - 60 meters, at a height of 3 meters and stayed in the air for about a minute. You can find out which is the fastest aircraft, and about the maximum flight altitude of modern passenger airliners

The plane was later donated to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC as a valuable exhibit.

Alberto Santos-Dumont

The Brazilian, who has lived more than half of his life in France, became famous there as the first inventor of an aircraft capable of taking off without a catapult, strong wind or other technical devices.

Alberto Santos-Dumont

His plane was named the 14-bis or Oiseau de proie, which is translated from French as "Bird of Prey".

Dumont's 14-bis aircraft.

October 23, 1906 he tested it. The plane overcame distance of 60 meters, at a height of 2-3 meters. He already had a chassis, though not removable.

And already 12 november of the same year, a talented pilot was able to make a powerful breakthrough in aviation, flying 220 meters in just 22 seconds. Thus, he achieved a world record. What is the average speed of a modern aircraft? Read

Subsequently, copies of this aircraft flew without any problems.

If you ask in what year the first plane was built, then you will most likely be named 1906. Since it was in this year that Dumont's plane was tested.

Many of its supporters operate on the fact that the Wright apparatus could not take off on its own, under normal weather conditions.

Wright supporters argue that the plane still flew on its own engine. Disputes on this topic continue to this day.

Alexander Mikhailovich Mozhaisky

Rear Admiral of the Russian Empire, during the reign of Emperor Alexander II, Alexander Mikhailovich was very interested in aircraft and is one of the pioneers in world aviation. Including domestic.

Many Soviet and Russian scientists and historians consider his project to be the first attempt in the world to create an airplane.

He started designing it back in 1877. However, the work was delayed for a typical reason for Russia - state commissions refused to provide him with the necessary cash for research.

After numerous battles with bureaucrats, he received the required amount. And that is largely due to the personal instructions of the emperor.

At first, Alexander Mikhailovich wanted to use only the internal combustion engines that appeared then. But they had one significant drawback - they were too heavy. Therefore, he decided to choose the most lightweight model of the steam engine.

To acquire them, he went first to America, and then to England. In London, he ordered two steam engine and they were ready by 1881.

The remaining parts were manufactured at the Baltic Shipyard, with money donated to Mozhaisky by various individuals.

In 1880 he received a patent for the first aircraft in Russia. By 1883 he had finished assembling it. To test it, he was allocated a field in Krasnoe Selo, near St. Petersburg.

Mozhaisky airplane model

The exact date of the aircraft test is unknown. It has been established for certain that the first flight took place in 1884. The device even took off from the ground, but, due to its instability, tilted sideways and fell.

Further trials and studies were not carried out due to lack of funds.

So, you and I have followed the fate of the first planes in the world. I think that to the question - when did the first plane appear - you also already know the answer. But who was the pioneer in this area?

In fact, each of the above are scientists. After all, they all started, in fact, from scratch, so they contributed to the development aviation technology and the development of heavenly space.