There are a plethora of “we wuz robbed” theories that do the rounds – two (Fairey FD.1 = Dassault Mirage and Miles M.52 = Bell X-1) are running at the moment.
Well, who’ll come up with some examples of us Brits robbing important aviation ideas from other countries? (I’m betting the first will be a German invention)
Roger Smith :dev2:
By: J Boyle - 6th January 2009 at 21:12
Remember most of the Wright Brothers ideas were either dead ends or nicked from others – they just got to work altogther first (debatable).
No it’s not debatable…if you’ve studied the history of the Wrights.
For a good technical look at them I’d recommend Kill Devil Hill by the late Harry Coombs (a pilot, engineer and former head of Lear Jet).
They discovered Lilienthal’s lift tables were wrong and did a great deal of research into the design of propellors.
True, wing warping was a dead end, but they combined the current state of the art with materials and powerplant into a functioning aircraft…especialy their 1905 Flyer.
Plus, there is no doubt about the date with witnesses and photos…even an incorrect press anouncement (so what else is new?:D). They’re not some guy with no background who claims to have made a flight on such a date…of course there were not witnesses, photos and his hangar happened to burnt down the next week.
No, they were the first by any objective, reasonale measure.
Even the Science Musem in the UK says so. You’ve got to trust them.:D
No as far as robbin’…I’m not too impressed with Cody’s work.
He’s always come across as a Western sideshow character who say an airplane as some sort of stunt.
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th January 2009 at 20:50
I have a book that contains a diagram of an axial flow gas turbine of British design…………….. dated 1912!! The idea for the gas turbine had been around for nearly 200 years before Whittle thought its exhaust might be useful as a method of propulsion. – he also needed materials technology to catch up.
As to ideas what we nicked from others I’d go for the Tractor Monoplane layout (France?). Remember most of the Wright Brothers ideas were either dead ends or nicked from others – they just got to work altogther first (debatable).
By: Nashio966 - 6th January 2009 at 20:11
axial flow turbojets?
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January 6, 2009 at 8:04 pm