Kyiv Museum of Ukrainian Diaspora shows a rare photo of Igor Sikorsky with his invention
An unusual invention, a sled with a rudder and propeller, was created by two students of the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Igor Sikorsky and Fedir Bylinkin
This happened in 1909-1910, as the museum told Vechirniy Kyiv.
Photo: Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives
"In the winter of 1909-1910, Igor Sikorsky created his first aero-sleds with an engine, Anzani, with a capacity of 15 horsepower, which was designed for two passengers. They were tested in February 1910 at the Kyiv Hippodrome. However, this was already a modified version with a 25-horsepower engine that could carry 4 people at a speed of 35 mph," the Museum notes.
Sikorsky's success in developing sleds was noticed in France. He was offered to continue working in this direction, but the designer refused because the helicopter remained a priority for him.
Photo: Illustrations from the selection History of National Aviation by Valerii Lysenko
To learn more about this and other inventions of Igor Sikorsky, Kyiv residents are invited to the exhibition Our Sikorsky, which operates in the museum on a regular basis.
You can also visit the Museum Sikor Sky: a virtual museum hub.
The platform presents Ukraine and Kyiv through a virtual visit to the cradle of the Sikorsky helicopter at 15b Yaroslaviv Val Street.
And in the middle of the Museum Sikor Sky, you can see the pioneers of aviation and their inventions, discover the doors of the digital world to other museum spaces that have joined the project, including the Museum of the Ukrainian Diaspora.
