Alexander F. Mozhaiski

Alexander F. Mozhaiski, born March 9 (21), 1825, died March 20 (April 1) 1890, was a Russian naval officer, aviation pioneer, researcher and designer of heavier-than-air-craft. Mozhaiski was developing concepts for heavier-than-air flight 20 years before the Wright brothers' first flight. In 1884, Mozhaiski's monoplane design made what is now considered to be a power assisted take off or 'hop' of 60-100 feet (20-30 meters). His feat is generally distinguished from that of the Wright brothers on the basis that his design appears to have relied upon a ramp rather than wings to generate lift. This conclusion is supported by the fact that Mozhaiski's wing design lacked the curvature necessary to generate lift. While it is possible that Mozhaiski's wings slowed down the monoplane's descent, they were unlikely to have ever provided upward movement unless used at angles of attack that would have been unsustainable given the engines available to Mozhaiski. Although Soviet propagandists later overemphasised Mozhaiski's role in aviation by claiming his hop as the first powered flight, Mozhaiski's achievements in aviation, particularly with regard to flight control and propulsion, were considerable given the limits of the technology available to him and have only recently received the attention they deserve.

Related Topics:
March 9 - 1825 - March 20 - 1890 - Russia - Naval - Officer - Aviation - Heavier-than-air-craft - Wright brothers - Monoplane - Wing - Curvature - Angles of attack - Soviet - Propagandist - First powered flight - Flight control - Propulsion

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