Mozhaisky - the founder of the first plane

The way to realization of dream of flight of the person in air was extremely difficult. Only thanks to efforts of many outstanding scientists and engineers XIX and the XX-th centuries flight of the person on the flying machine is heavier than air from the dream exciting minds within many centuries, has turned to a practical reality, and nowadays even became every day business.

Historical documents incontestably prove that the first-ever plane has been created in Russia. The founder of the first-ever plane is Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaisky. It has constructed and has tested the first plane for twenty years before Americans of brothers Right by whom until recently this invention absolutely was unfairly attributed.

Mozhaisk conducted researches – studied aerodynamics and dynamics of models of the future flying machine by means of the test cart created by it, developed projects of the device and air screws for it, at last, built, tested and continuously improved the plane first in Russia.

Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaisky was born on March, 9th, 1825 in a family of the hereditary seaman, an admiral of Russian fleet of Feodor Timofeevich Mozhaisky. A. F. Mozhaisky has received education in Sea military school which it has excellent ended on January, 19th, 1841 a Year later it has been made in warrant officers.

After seven-year swimming by the various ships in Baltiysk and White the seas Mozhaisky in 1849 has received a rank of the lieutenant.

On September, 8th, 1859 Mozhaisky has received the next rank of the lieutenant commander. After descent to water of a clipper "Horseman" it has been appointed by its commander and swam on it in Baltic sea till 1863.

In 1863 Mozhaisky has been retired in connection with the compelled reduction of number of fleet after the Crimean war, but in 1879 has been again enlisted on active duty in a rank of the captain of first rank and it is directed to Sea military school where conducted a course of sea practice.

In 1876 Mozhaisk has started to work over the project for a long time the flying machine conceived by it more hard air. During service in the Sea case Mozhaisky, using consultation of the largest Russian scientists, continued to improve the project.

Having left from service, without any help from the imperial government the plane tested in air in July, 1882, and only the death which has come on March, 19th, 1890 continued to improve and improve A.F.Mozhajsky, has prevented it to finish construction of the new plane.

In the spring of 1878 A.F.Mozhajsky has decided to pass to plane construction full-scale. On March, 23rd, 1878 he has addressed in the Main engineering management with the report in which specified that «demanded for the permission of a question the data can be received only over the device of such sizes on which force of the machine and a device direction the person» could operate and asked about holiday of means for the airplane building which cost has been defined by it in 18895 roubles.

The offer Mozhaisky was considered by the special commission to which the detailed drawings of the plane proved by calculations, and the explanatory note containing the description of the device have been presented. In the description it was said that the plane consists:

1) from a boat serving for a premise of the car and people;

2) from two motionless wings;

3) from a tail which can rise and fall and serve for change of a direction of flight upwards and downwards, it is equal through moving in it the vertical area to the right and to the left to receive a device direction in the parties;

4) from the screw of the big forward;

5) from two screws small on a back part of the device;

6) from the cart on wheels under boat which serves that the device put by the area of the wings, and a tail in the leaning position, about 4 degrees to horizon, front a part upwards could run up at first by the ground against air and receive that speed which is necessary for its soaring;

7) from two masts which serve for strengthening of its wings and communication of all device on its length and for tail lifting.

The device, on a plan of the inventor, could make landing and to water for what the boat form has been given a fuselage.

From the presented description it is visible that Mozhaisk has conceived to carry out the plane monoplane type with a thin profile of the wing established at an angle 4 degrees, modern controls and the chassis with spring amortization.

For the first time having developed fuselage plane type, Mozhaisk on 30 with superfluous years has outstripped the West European and American designers who only in 1909-1910 have started to build similar planes.

The idea to use a fuselage-boat for water landing has been realized for the first time in 1913 by other Russian designer and inventor D.P.Grigorovich – the founder of the first boat hydroairplane.

Under the certificate of the contemporaries, the ready device Mozhaisky represented a boat with wooden edges. The rectangular wings slightly curved upwards have been attached to boat boards.

The boat, wings and tail plumage of the plane have been fitted by the thin silk matter impregnated with a varnish. Covers of wings were wooden (pine). The device stood on the chassis with wheels. Its both cars have been located in a forward part of a boat.

The plane had three the screw with four blades and two wheels – horizontal and vertical.

Tests of the plane Mozhaisk were made in the conditions of the big privacy.

Mozhaisk haven't allowed to fly, as he was at this time 57 years old. Plane test in air has been entrusted the assistant Mozhaisk – to mechanic I. N. Golubevu.

The plane piloted by Golubevym, having gained in the end of running start necessary speed, has risen in air and, having flown by some distance on a straight line, villages. The wing of the plane has been damaged at landing.

The invention of the A.F.Mozhaisky has been declared by military secret, and is more strict was forbidden to write something about the plane. The inventor hasn’t help still appeared. Imperial officials and foreigners on Russian service have made all that not only successes of the Russian inventor, but also his name have been forgotten.

Only 20 years after feat of the A.F.Mozhaisky have been saved up later is minimum necessary scientific data on aerodynamics, dynamics of flight and stability. Thanks to technics progress easy internal combustion engines so necessary for aircraft construction have been created. On December, 17th, 1903 in the USA brothers Right have made the feat – the plane with the person onboard has been lifted in air.

Russian designers, continuing business to which has given more than 30 years of life of A.F.Mozhaisky, tensely worked over creation of domestic designs of the plane. Being based on experiences of the A.F.Mozhaisky, Russian design engineers have created in 1913 on Baltiysk factory in Petersburg the heavy plane «Russian hero». After it in 1914 a series of planes of type "Ilya Muromets" of the improved design has been constructed. It was the first-ever heavy multiple-motor bomber with the motors located in a wing. Exclusive on the qualities there was plane-giant "Svyatogor" designed in 1915 by designer V.A.Slesarevym.

The contribution of the A.F.Mozhaisky – the first designer of domestic aircraft construction is considerable and historically important. Our people piously store memory about A.F. Mozhaisky – the ancestor of aircraft. His name is written down on history pages near to names of the most talented people of our country which have won a priority of domestic thought in the most various areas of a science and technicians.

1. Which of the first invented a plane, brothers Righr or Russian engineer A.F.Mozhaisky?

2. Why people think, that brothers Right were the first, instead of Mozhaisky?

3. How many money has been allocated to Mozhaisky for construction of the plane?

4. Why to Mozhaisky have not allowed to test the own plane?

5. What education had the Mozhaisky?

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30