Yakov Modestovich Gakkel

Yakov Modestovich Gakkel (рус. Яков Модестович Гаккель; 12 May [O.S. 30 April] 1874 – 12 December 1945) was a Russian and Soviet scientist. He designed and built Russia's first aeroplane[1] as well as a diesel train.

Gakkel was born in Irkutsk in 1874. He attended St. Petersburg Institute of Electrical Engineering, graduating in 1897. Following his graduation, he worked in Siberia building hydroelectric power plants in the region. He returned to St. Petersburg in 1905 to teach at the Institute.

While in St. Petersburg he became interested in the nascent aeronautics industry, and in 1909 began work on his own design of aeroplane. His first two designs were unable to achieve flight, but on 19 JuneNote 1 1910, the Gakkel III made its first successful flight.[1] It flew 200 metres (660 ft) and was the first flight by a Russian designed and built aircraft. In 1911, the Gakkel V became Russia's first amphibious aeorplane.[2]

Notes

1.^ Sources differ on the actual date, some saying 23 or 24 May, while others say 19 June.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The first Russian aircraft: 100 years of the airplane Gakkel". Encyclopedia of safety. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  2. ↑ "Gakkel - Early Aircraft Russian Designations (Hakkel / Hackel / Gackel)". secretprojects.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2014.

External links