Sikorsky Russky Vityaz
Sikorsky Russky Vityaz Russian ( Russian: Русский витязь, "Russian warrior ", also Le Grand) of 1913 is considered one of the milestones in the history of aviation. It was the first four-engine aircraft in the world and the first pure passenger aircraft.
Development
It was built to Russky Vityaz Igor Ivanovich Sikorski. When he began in 1911 with the plans for the aircraft, no aircraft could carry more than 600 kg. The record is held by the French pilot Ducis, who did a 800 m long flight with this load. As the world learned from the construction of the Russky Vityaz in early 1913, believed the experts and the press that this machine could never fly.
Despite the expert opinion of the Russky Vityaz flew on 13 May 1913 in Saint Petersburg with the pilots Sikorski and Aleknowitsch first time.
The first version had the two 100 hp Argus - series motors are connected in series, which drives two tractor propeller. Sikorski, however, was dissatisfied with the performance and built the aircraft by four propellers.
The Russky Vityaz was a huge biplane with 27 meters span, was constructed of spruce, pine and ash wood. The wings were covered with mahogany plywood and linen fabrics. The aircraft had a large cabin for the pilot and the passengers. The passenger cabin was luxurious with four seats, a sofa, a table, electric light and a laundry room. The passengers were allowed to walk around during the flight, without the stability would have been jeopardized. Prior to the pilot cabin was a observation post with searchlight, and a MG mount. The plane had 16 wheels, four large casks and needed a take-off distance of approximately 700 m to lift.
Total made the Russky Vityaz 53 flights without an accident. However, the wing of the plane was on the runway of the airfield Krasnoje Selo badly damaged in the fall of 1913, when a Voisin biplane in flight lost its engine. Sikorski then decided to disassemble the machine and build a new aircraft, the Ilya Muromets. This later became the first four-engined bomber in the world.