Aviatika v českých zemích 1908-1914 – Sviták Pavel (2024)

The work of some aviation pioneers at the end of the 19th century hinted that the time was approaching when humans would learn to fly. After the failure of European aviation pioneers with powered fixed-wing aircraft around 1890 to 1900, the focus of efforts shifted to the USA. There, in December 1903, the Wright brothers succeeded in their first test flights. However, they were not the only ones working on aircraft solutions at that time. Occasional reports also reached the Czech lands about the attempts of Gustav Weiskopf-Whitehead and Professor Langley. Initially, there were few reports about the Wright brothers, and they did not inspire much confidence. Then, in 1908, Wilbur came to France and demonstrated to the surprised Europeans what he and his brother had achieved. It became clear that European aviation pioneers were lagging behind, but soon they managed to catch up with the Wrights. The "aviation fever" was born, which also affected the Czech lands. At the end of the 19th century and in the early years of the 20th century, a few enthusiasts emerged in the Czech lands who attempted to solve the problem of heavier-than-air flight. Some worked theoretically, others built models, but few succeeded in constructing an aircraft, which was usually unsuccessful. Names such as Gustav Finger, Jan Hirsch, Vilém Urbánek, and Tomáš Málek began to appear... In 1908, the organizers...