A Compendium of Failed Birdmen
An extensive collection of images of early failed flying machines, a small sampling of which is presented below…
Besnier, 1678
Marquis de Bacqueville, 1742
Bourcart, 1866
Dandrieux, 1879
Degen, 1812
Letur, 1852
De Groof, 1864
Bréant, 1854
Trouvé, 1870
Loup, 1852
Moy, 1875
Goupil, 1883
April 27th, 2006 at 11:27 pm
Today we see these designs as imaginative and daring as well as unworkable. I wonder how they were seen by contemporary society? Were they the darlings of the media, or fringe crackpots?
April 28th, 2006 at 1:04 am
Where did these come from?
April 28th, 2006 at 2:35 am
http://www.artgarfunkel.com/library.html
April 28th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
http://invention.psychology.msstate.edu/i/Chanute/library/Prog_Wings_Nov1891.html
April 30th, 2006 at 11:12 am
Thanks so much for that url, Jim. I’m organising an exhibition about space that includes a work composed of 60+ unique and unlikely gliders by Australian artist John Bleaney, and that site looks set to give me some much needed background for writing the catalogue essay…
May 18th, 2006 at 6:05 pm
Dear Proceedings,
I have come across one of the most insane products to be developed in modern times: The Wing Suit.
It is no more and no less than a jump suit with webbing between the arms and body and between the legs.
The thrill-mad gentlemen bird men don these garbs, climb to great hights and hurl themselves into the sky.
May I humbly submit a permalink to my web publication Futuratronics wherein The Society and it’s readers may find links to all the pertinent information such as photos and a hair-raising video of the Wing Suit in action.
http://futuratronics.blogspot.com/2006/05/wingsuit-el-sueo-eterno-del-hombre.html
Kind Regards,
Andrés Hax
July 4th, 2006 at 8:27 pm
Here’s another compendium of failed (mostly anyway) birdmen. Wingsuits too:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400054915/sr=8-1/qid=1145568815/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6976956-5354532?%5Fencoding=UTF8
November 6th, 2006 at 2:37 am
IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU COULD INCLUDE ILLASTRATION SHOWING EVENTS STARING BACK IN THE 6TH CENTERY IN CHINA IN THE DEVELOPMENTS OF HUMAN CARRING KITES.
May 23rd, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Donovan Leach’s “Try and Catch the Wind” song would fit as perfect background music for a slide show with these sketchings.
http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~michaelc/catchthewind.htm