| The Birdman |
Otto Lilienthal was the first successful aviator in the history of mankind and the
first man to launch himself into the air, fly and land safely. He was able to make
sustained and replicable flights for the first time in history. Otto Lilienthal was
born in 1848 into an old Lutheran family in Anklam, Pomerania, where famous
German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann spent his childhood. Along with
Otto's architect brother, Gustav, who later became his assistant, he built flying
machines in his youth. He received a degree in mechanical engineering from
Berlin University in 1870, then served in the Franco- Prussian War of 1870-71.
first man to launch himself into the air, fly and land safely. He was able to make
sustained and replicable flights for the first time in history. Otto Lilienthal was
born in 1848 into an old Lutheran family in Anklam, Pomerania, where famous
German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann spent his childhood. Along with
Otto's architect brother, Gustav, who later became his assistant, he built flying
machines in his youth. He received a degree in mechanical engineering from
Berlin University in 1870, then served in the Franco- Prussian War of 1870-71.
He was a successful businessman and factory owner as well as an inventor, and in 1877 he took out
the first of his 25 patents on everything from on a machine used in mining to aviation concepts. He
married and had four children, but between his business and busy home life, he seriously studied the
principles of aerodynamics. He used birds, especially storks, as his models for flight research. He
made detailed studies of their flight patterns for over 20 years and repeatedly tested his observations
in experiments and by building models. In 1889, this resulted in his book Der Vogelflug als Grundlage
der Fliegekunst (Bird Flight as the Basis of Aviation).
the first of his 25 patents on everything from on a machine used in mining to aviation concepts. He
married and had four children, but between his business and busy home life, he seriously studied the
principles of aerodynamics. He used birds, especially storks, as his models for flight research. He
made detailed studies of their flight patterns for over 20 years and repeatedly tested his observations
in experiments and by building models. In 1889, this resulted in his book Der Vogelflug als Grundlage
der Fliegekunst (Bird Flight as the Basis of Aviation).
He went on to develop far more sophisticated
gliders and before his death in 1896, he had built
eighteen other models, fifteen monoplanes and
three biplanes and he had also taken more than
2,000 glider flights. In 1894, he built an artificial
hill from where he could run down and jump into
the wind, gliding more than 150 feet. Wanting
more height, Lilienthal began launching flights
from the Rhinower Hills near Berlin where he
could glide up to 1,150 feet.
gliders and before his death in 1896, he had built
eighteen other models, fifteen monoplanes and
three biplanes and he had also taken more than
2,000 glider flights. In 1894, he built an artificial
hill from where he could run down and jump into
the wind, gliding more than 150 feet. Wanting
more height, Lilienthal began launching flights
from the Rhinower Hills near Berlin where he
could glide up to 1,150 feet.
Lilienthal was regularly joined by photographers so as to document the development of his flight
techniques, and photographs of Lilienthal in flight were famous worldwide. In 1893 and again in
1896, he built gliders with small engines and flapping wings. He piloted with great skill, and was
regularly visited by aerodynamic experts from all over the world. He began designing the gliders with
a prellbugel, or flexible willow rebound bow to reduce the impact in case of a crash, and on one
occasion this saved Lilienthal's life.
techniques, and photographs of Lilienthal in flight were famous worldwide. In 1893 and again in
1896, he built gliders with small engines and flapping wings. He piloted with great skill, and was
regularly visited by aerodynamic experts from all over the world. He began designing the gliders with
a prellbugel, or flexible willow rebound bow to reduce the impact in case of a crash, and on one
occasion this saved Lilienthal's life.
His fundamental research on birds and artificial wings laid the foundation for the science of wing
aerodynamics and he greatly influenced the Wright Brothers and others. On August 9, 1896, as he
was piloting one of his "Normal" gliders with no prellbugel to protect him, his glider went through a
heat eddy and stalled, then went 56 foot into a nosedive. He died the next day of a broken spine. His
last words were "Sacrifices must be made."
aerodynamics and he greatly influenced the Wright Brothers and others. On August 9, 1896, as he
was piloting one of his "Normal" gliders with no prellbugel to protect him, his glider went through a
heat eddy and stalled, then went 56 foot into a nosedive. He died the next day of a broken spine. His
last words were "Sacrifices must be made."
He built his first glider in 1891, the Derwitzer Glider, which was constructed of rods of peeled willow
covered by highly stretched strong cotton fabric and had a wingspan of 25 feet. He initially used a
springboard and then a shed to launch himself in his garden, gradually increasing the height from
which he began his launch. After a while he could glide almost 80 feet. To fly his more perfected
gliders, Lilienthal had to crawl under the craft, put his arms in a set of cuffs, hold onto a bar near the
front edge of the wings and run down a slope. As in all of his gliders, he controlled direction by
shifting his weight which demanded considerable physical strength.
covered by highly stretched strong cotton fabric and had a wingspan of 25 feet. He initially used a
springboard and then a shed to launch himself in his garden, gradually increasing the height from
which he began his launch. After a while he could glide almost 80 feet. To fly his more perfected
gliders, Lilienthal had to crawl under the craft, put his arms in a set of cuffs, hold onto a bar near the
front edge of the wings and run down a slope. As in all of his gliders, he controlled direction by
shifting his weight which demanded considerable physical strength.
| Schliemann |
Entirely self educated, he was spurred on by a childhood passion for legends told by Homer and
Vergil. He developed a remarkable aptitude for business, which enabled him to amass a large fortune
early in life and to retire at the age of 41 to devote himself fully to archaeology. He began to dig at
Troy, his most famous excavation taking place in 1870, and later he also made extraordinary
discoveries in Greece at Mycenae, the legendary home of Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks in the
Trojan War. Although greatly underrated today, Schliemann made remarkable achievements.
Vergil. He developed a remarkable aptitude for business, which enabled him to amass a large fortune
early in life and to retire at the age of 41 to devote himself fully to archaeology. He began to dig at
Troy, his most famous excavation taking place in 1870, and later he also made extraordinary
discoveries in Greece at Mycenae, the legendary home of Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks in the
Trojan War. Although greatly underrated today, Schliemann made remarkable achievements.
Brilliant pioneer in field archaeology, German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, 1822-1890, was
born to a poor minister in Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He is best known for his excavations at ancient
Troy and Mycenae and his valuable discovery of "Priam's Gold." Schliemann, an unlikely
adventurer, was born to a pastor in Mecklenburg, Pomerania. He left formal school at age fourteen
and taught himself at least seven foreign languages in ancient and modern form.
born to a poor minister in Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He is best known for his excavations at ancient
Troy and Mycenae and his valuable discovery of "Priam's Gold." Schliemann, an unlikely
adventurer, was born to a pastor in Mecklenburg, Pomerania. He left formal school at age fourteen
and taught himself at least seven foreign languages in ancient and modern form.
Before Schliemann, the pre-classical Greece (6000-1000
BC) civilization was not even known to have existed. He
established new standards for archaeological research,
including the first application of the 'stratigraphical method'
in archaeology. Schliemann and his seventeen year old Greek
wife, Sophia Engastromenos, left
BC) civilization was not even known to have existed. He
established new standards for archaeological research,
including the first application of the 'stratigraphical method'
in archaeology. Schliemann and his seventeen year old Greek
wife, Sophia Engastromenos, left
| A Couple of Pomeranian Native Sons |