Скачать или смотреть The 1920s “Flying Car” That Couldn’t Fly — The Pitts Sky Car

the 1920s, inventor John W. Pitts tried to bring vertical flight to life with the Pitts Sky Car — a bizarre, circular machine powered by a 90-horsepower Curtiss OX-5 engine.

Its unique design featured 60 hinged rotor blades that opened on the downstroke to push air downward, then closed on the upstroke to reduce drag — a bold attempt to mimic the principles of a helicopter before helicopters truly existed.

But in testing, the Sky Car didn’t soar — it bounced. The engine lacked power, the mechanism was too complex, and stability was impossible.

Still, this early experiment marked an important step toward modern VTOL and helicopter technology — proving that even failed designs move aviation forward. ✈️💡