Albrecht Berblinger
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Albrecht Ludwig Berblinger (June 24, 1770, Ulm – January 28, 1829, Ulm), also known as the Tailor of Ulm, is famous for having constructed a working flying machine, presumably a hang glider.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Berblinger was the seventh child of a poor family. When he was 13 his father died and he was sent to an orphanage. There he was forced to become a tailor although he wanted to become a watchmaker. He became a master craftsman at 21, but he still was interested in mechanics. In his spare time in 1808 he invented the first artificial limb with a joint.
[edit] Flight attempts
His most important invention was a hang glider, which was supposed to let him fly. He worked on it for years, improving it and watching the flight of owls. People made fun of him and he was threatend with exclusion from the guild. He was ordered to pay a large fine for his working outside of the guild. Nevertheless he invested his whole income in his project. King Frederick I of Württemberg became interested in his work and sponsored him with 20 Louis.
He tried to demonstrate that the glider could really fly on the evening of May 30, 1811 in the presence of the king, his three sons and the crown prince of Bavaria. The king and a large number of citizens waited for the flight but Berblinger cancelled it, claiming that his glider was damaged. The next day May 31 he made a second attempt from a higher location - the Adlerbastei (Eagles Bastion). This structure no longer exists but a plaque commerates it on the banks of the river in Neu Strasse just past the Dreifaltigkeitskirche (Holy Trinity Church). The king had left by this time, but his brother duke Heinrich and the princes stayed to watch. Berblinger waited so long for a good wind, that a policemen finally gave him a push and Berblinger fell into the Donau (Danube). Other versions of this account have no mention of the policeman and claim that the difference in temperature over the cold Donau (Danube) limited thermal updrafts and therefore the glider failed to lift. He survived and was rescued by fishermen. His reputation was effectively ruined as a result and his work suffered. He was 58 years old when he died in a hospital .
[edit] Reception
- A reconstruction of Berblinger's flying device (in the form of a pair of wings) can be seen in the Ulm Rathaus (City Hall) suspended above the stairwell near the Standesamt (Registrary) where civil weddings are held. There is also another reconstruction of the glider in the ground level of building B in the Fachhochschule (University of Applied Science) Ulm.
- In 1986 it was proven that Berblingers glider was capable of sustained flight, but it was almost impossible to cross the danube even with most modern gliders.
- Bertolt Brecht wrote a ballad about Berblinger in 1934
[edit] External links
[edit] References
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Berblinger, Albrecht |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Berblinger, Albrecht Ludwig;Taylor of Ulm;Schneider von Ulm |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | aviation pioneer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 24, 1770 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Ulm, Germany |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 28, 1829 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Ulm, Germany |
