Tesla's Aircraft of the Future Page 4

Tesla's vertical takeoff flying machine patent is one of the rare ones for which Tesla did not make any prototype or working model.

For numerous aviation modelers and all those who would like to have a small model of this Tesla aircraft in their home, Nikola Borovac from Zemun Aero Club, a member of the national team and one of the best aviation modelers in the country, gives some advice on how such a model can be made with the help of handy, household tools and with good will and effort.

The tools needed for construction are probably owned by every household: a vise, a saw, a file, a small hand drill, a scalpel, a razor blade or a good knife, etc.

Almost all parts of the model can be made from domestic wood: slats of various dimensions, linden plywood, linden veneer, etc., all of which can be obtained in Belgrade at the Aviation Modeling Center, Timočka street no. 18. Furthermore, 0.5 mm thick aluminum sheet is needed, wire (welding wire can be used), and for various small details, different readily available materials, the choice of which depends on the modeler's patience and desire to make the model with more or less detail.

For those who are more experienced, making the wings and propeller, which should be the first step in building the model, using the drawings provided with Tesla's patent, will not be a problem, but for those who are trying to make a model of a flying machine for the first time, it is advisable to consult the nearest modeling center or aero club.

Further work involves the construction of various assemblies and sub-assemblies, and the quality of the final product of the modeler's work will certainly largely depend on his skill, previous experience, etc.

Since the purpose of this attachment is not to provide a detailed elaboration for the construction of Tesla's flying machine, but only a general instruction, this short attachment concludes with a note that for all information, interested readers can contact the Nikola Tesla Museum, Belgrade, Proleterskih brigada 51.

The first represents a part of a series of autobiographical articles which he wrote for the magazine Electrical Experimenter and in one place states the following:

"As I once mentioned, when I was a college student, I conceived of an aircraft that was entirely different from those existing until then. The basic principle was correct, but I could not realize it because it required great driving power. In recent years, I have successfully solved that problem and am now working on aerial machines without carrying wings, tail wings, propellers, and other external superstructures. These machines will be able to develop high speeds and will probably provide strong arguments for peace in the near future. Such a machine, maintained and propelled solely by reaction, should be controlled