frost 1 #1 October 27, 2006 Interesting article about original Russian parachutists. Wing suits are described and pictures shown. http://dzkirzhach.ru/index.php?action=showfull&module=16&id=1155823533 I did a quick babel fish translation on Altavista.com, seems to be pretty readable to an average American :) scroll down to see the pics of the first Russian birdmen -----------quote from the article----------- AIR RESEARCHERS The technique of a delayed jump was worked on for years. The search for stable, adjusted methods of controlling the body in the prolonged freefall was on. Leaps with the wings were one of the stages of this search. From the early ages man dreamed of flying as a bird, and he attempted to carry out this dream. The experiments of leap-flights with the wings were taking place in in our country in 1935-1936. This first leap was carried out on 17 April, 1935 by a master of the parachute sport OF THE USSR Georgiy Alexandrovich Schmidt, who was the head of the parachute service in the scientific research institute VVS (Military Airborne Service). He took active part in testing of the first models of the paraborne technology......... G. Schmidt jumped with the wings of the telescopic form constructed by N. S. Smirnova. Their frame consisted of the metal tubes, which were put one into another. Body was covered with percale. At the ends of the wing there were ailerons to change body position in and the direction of flight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,052 #2 October 27, 2006 That photo on the left of the four jumpers reminds me of some of our RW from back in the mid-60's. Jerry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikhail 0 #3 November 2, 2006 Coolness... I'll have to find some time to read through this. Mother tongue. ;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
