Mozhaysky's airplane was an experimental Russian
airplane designed and built by a naval officer, Alexander
Mozhaysky. Powered by two steam engines, the monoplane design
reputedly made a powered take off assisted by the use of a ramp,
flying between 20–30 m (66–98 ft) near Krasnoye Selo,
Russia in 1884.
The aircraft was originally powered by two steam
engines with a total power of 30 horsepower (22 kW). It had an
estimated flight speed of 40 km/h (22 kn; 25 mph), a gross weight
of 950 kilograms (2,090 lb), a wingspan of 24 metres (79 ft) and a
fuselage length of 15 metres (49 ft).
Tests were carried out over several years starting in 1882. A
note by the chief of the Military Engineering Board of the Russian
Ministry of War, describes the results of testing in 1883: "we have
seen it in action ... but it could not take off."
On January 21 of 1883 Mozhaysky presented his
project to the Russian Technological Society's Seventh Division
(Aeronautics). A special presentation was made, and resulted in the
assignment of an evaluation commission, which included a Division
II (Mechanical) representative. The aircraft however was not
powerful enough for flight, and neither the Technological Society
nor the Ministry of War could assist Mozhaysky.
In 1885 the Mozhaysky Commission appealed to the Chief of
Military Engineering, but the request was not accepted. That same
year, the aircraft tried to take off in the presence of
authorities, piloted by its mechanic I.N. Golubiov. During the
flight trial a wooden member failed, resulting in a broken
wing.
Research by the Soviet Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute
(Russian: ЦАГИ) of Moscow in 1979 and 1981
showed that it would be impossible to keep the aircraft in level
flight due to a lack of stability. However, historical data has
emerged claiming that Mozhaysky's aircraft achieved flight, as
found in a 1909 newspaper, and also included in the "Military
Encyclopedia" of 1916.
After failing its test flight, Mozhaysky tried to repair his
aircraft and equip it with new engines. The Central
Aerohydrodynamic Institute proved in 1982 that with new engines it
could have taken off. The new steam engines had a total of 50
horsepower (37 kW) but were not ready before Mozhaysky's death in
1890. The aircraft was later dismantled and transported to nearby
Vologda.
The aircraft design drawings disappeared, although various
drafts of handmade components and their descriptions have been
found throughout the twentieth century. Current models of the
aircraft were derived from those draft drawings.
Mozhaysky's design relied upon a ramp rather than engine power
to generate sufficient speed for lift. The wing design of his
aircraft lacked the airfoil camber necessary to generate sufficient
lift. While it is possible that Mozhaysky's wings slowed his
monoplane's descent after launch from the ramp, the wings were
unlikely ever to have provided sufficient lift for sustained flight
unless used at angles of attack that would have been impractical,
given the steam engines then available to Mozhaysky. He also
experimented with different angles of attack. According to Andrei
Veimarn, Mozhaysky's airplane theoretically could have taken off if
he had a headwind, which may have occurred on July 20, although
that date is not clearly established. On that day the weather
station at Pulkovo measured windspeeds at 10 metres per second (19
kn; 22 mph), so it may have been sufficient for flight. The
aircraft has been claimed to have made its maiden flight at
Krasnoye Selo in 1884.
In 1909 a Russian newspaper claimed Mozhaysky's hop was the
first powered flight. In 1971–1981 TsAGI researched the topic
and disproved the claim. Mozhaysky's original aircraft was found
incapable of generating lift because of low engine capacity. It was
also shown that with a more powerful engine, which Mozhaysky had
planned shortly before his death, the aircraft might have been able
to fly.
Alexander Fedorovich
Mozhaysky
Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaysky was an admiral in the Imperial
Russian Navy, aviation pioneer, researcher and designer of
heavier-than-air craft.
Mozhaysky was born in Rochensalm, in the Grand Duchy of Finland
(current Kotka), southern Finland, then part of the Russian Empire.
His father was an admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy, and
Mozhaysky graduated from the Sea Cadet Corps in 1841. He spent the
next seven years on voyages in the Baltic Sea and the White Sea on
various vessels, and was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1849. He
served with the Baltic Fleet from 1850 to 1852. In 1853, he was
selected as a member of Vice Admiral Yevfimy Putyatin’s
expedition to the Far East. In August 1853, he demonstrated a
working model of a steam engine to various Japanese dignitaries at
Nagasaki, from which Japanese inventor Tanaka Hisashige was later
able to reverse engineer a Japanese version. In December 1854, he
was shipwrecked at Heda, Shizuoka when the frigate Diana was sunk
the 1854 Ansei-Tokai earthquake. Mozhaysky assisted in the
construction of the schooner Heda in 1855, which enabled the
Russian delegation negotiating the Treaty of Shimoda to return
home. Later in 1855, during the Crimean War, he served in the Gulf
of Finland on the brig Antenor.
In 1858, Mozhaysky was selected to participate in an expedition
to Khiva in Central Asia, and published an account of the Aral Sea
and the Amu Darya River. He was awarded the Order of St Vladimir,
4th class, for his participation in this expedition. After his
return, he was made a lieutenant-commander; however, he resigned
his commission in 1863 with the downsizing of the Russian navy
following the end of the Crimean War. From 1869 to 1876, he lived
outside the city of Vinnytsia in what is now the Ukraine.
Mozhaysky began work on a project to develop a heavier-than-air
aircraft from 1876. Mozhaysky re-enlisted in the navy in 1879 and
was granted the rank of captain, 1st class. He became an instructor
at the Sea Cadets Corps. He was promoted to rear admiral in July
1882, but resigned shortly thereafter due to domestic reasons. In
1884, Mozhaysky's monoplane made a failed attempt to fly. His
design relied upon a ramp rather than engine power to generate
sufficient speed for lift. The wing design of his craft lacked the
curvature necessary to generate lift. While it is possible that
Mozhaysky's wings slowed his monoplane's descent after launch from
the ramp, the wings were unlikely ever to have provided sufficient
lift for sustained flight unless used at angles of attack that
would have been impractical, given the engines available to
Mozhaysky. He also experimented with different angles of
attack.
In 1909 a Russian newspaper claimed Mozhaysky's hop was the
first powered flight. This claim was later repeated many times by
the Soviet Union. In 1971-1981 TsAGI researched the topic and
disproved the claim. Mozhaysky's original aircraft was found
incapable of generating lift because of low engine capacity. It was
also shown that with a more powerful engine, which Mozhaysky had
planned shortly before his death, the aircraft might have been able
to fly.
Nevertheless, Mozhaysky's aviation achievements, particularly
with regard to flight controls and propulsion, were considerable
given the limits of the technology available to him, and have only
recently received serious attention.
Asteroid 2850 Mozhaiskij is named in his honour.