FLYING WITHOUT ENGINES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20355, 12 March 1928, Page 3

FLYING WITHOUT ENGINES.

The possibilities of flying by means of flapping wings without the aid of any mechanical power, were demonstrated recently by Captain Victor Dihovsky. formerly chief of the Imperial Rusian Naval Aviation mission to the Allies, in a lecture to the Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers in London (reports the Westminster Gazette). With models the lecturer illustrated his claim to have solved the apparently insurmountable difficulty. Having shown how the weight of the man and the machine, which he estimated at l£olb each, would force the wings upwards, Captain Hibovsky set about counteracting that by interconnecting the wings with what he described as “ additional muscles ” (represented in the model by elastic). These had the effect of keeping the wings horizontal even when the weight was attached. “ Thus,” he said, “ I have neutralised with thcs e additional muscles the power of lift on the wings from the air pressure, and this principle makes it possible to flap the wings without any extraordinary power.” To flan gently it would only require 20)b to 251 b on each foot. His study of birds had shown him that birds flew better in the sunshine. This was because, when the sun rays struck the upper part of the wings they warmed them, and the density of the air above became less; while the shadow of the wings created a motion or the air beneath and gave a better lifting power.