1124

On Flying machines.

TO ESCAPE THE PERIL OF DESTRUCTION.

Destruction to such a machine may occur in two ways; of which the first is the breaking of the machine. The second would be when the machine should turn on its edge or nearly on its edge, because it ought always to descend in a highly oblique direction, and almost exactly balanced on its centre. As regards the first—the breaking of the machine—, that may be prevented by making it as strong as possible; and in whichever direction it may tend to turn over, one centre must be very far from the other; that is, in a machine 30 braccia long the centres must be 4 braccia one from the other.

[Footnote: Compare No. 1428.]

Taken from The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci edited by Jean Paul Richter, 1880.

Notebooks of Leonoardo da Vinci
XVIII: Naval Warfare.--Mechanical Appliances.--Music.
. . .
The ship’s logs of Vitruvius, of Alberti and of Leonardo.
1113
Methods of staying and moving in water.
1114
On naval warfare.
1115,
1116
The use of swimming belts.
1117
On the gravity of water.
1118
Diving apparatus and Skating.
1119,
1120,
1121
On Flying machines.
1122,
1123,
1124,
1125,
1126
Of mining.
1127
Of Greek fire.
1128
Of Music.
1129,
1130
Of decorations.
1131