Sevastopol: tip. N.A. Kovaleva, 1910. Item #361
, 60 pp.: diagr. 22,5x16,5 cm. In original wrappers. Lacking back wrapper and spine, loose, tears and owner’s signature on the front wrapper, foxing and stains on the title page with small holes on the margin.
First and only Russian translation (original was published in French in 1909). Very rare.
Stefan Drzewiecki (1844-1938) was a Polish scientist, engineer, constructor and inventor, working in France and the Russian Empire. Drzewiecki distinguished himself mainly in aviation and ship building. In 1887 published the book ‘Aeroplanes in Nature’, in which he presented a thesis that the principle of monoplane aeroplanes should be used on devices that are heavier than air. This sort of opinion was considered revolutionary at that time and people were very reserved in accepting it. The general opinion was that flying devices could only stay up in the air by using the principle of oscillating aeroplane or helicopter.
His theoretical reflections on the flight of insects were used for calculating propeller constructions. It was the first practical method of planning and brought him worldwide fame. As a result of his many years of work on theories of propeller construction, he published the book “Les
hélices aériennes” in 1909. In this book formulated a theory of similarity and propeller optimization based on individual plane characteristics.
His ideas were used by the French company Ratmanoff for producing Normale propellers, which, due to their great effectiveness and number of rotations (3000 turns per minute), became a big hit. In France in 1909 Drzewiecki patented the draft of a self-stabilising aeroplane. His prototype, Canard, was equipped with a pressure propeller and an automatic stabilisation device and was presented at an international airshow in Paris. War prevented any further improvements of this aeroplane.
No copies in Worldcat.