China
China
There are many legends of Chinese flyers in ancient times. At the dawn of the modern aerial age, China imported lots of aero and aviation tech from the West.
Organizations
- German Aerial League of Peking
- Chinese meteorological service participated in 1906 International Meteorological Congress
- Imperial Engineering College, where taught Prof. Herbert Chatley (author of preface to Aero Manual, 1909)
Government procurement
In 1886 China ordered balloons from Gabriel Yon; these didn't work very well and had to be replaced. The replacements were apparently captured by Russia in 1900.[1]
A report on international aerial armaments in 1913 suggested that China possessed 20 dirigibles and had spent $225,000 on aeronautics in the past five years. [2]
A news blurb in 1913 suggested that the Chinese government, urged and assisted by France, was preparing to amass a fleet of airplanes:
The President of the Chinese Republic, on the suggestion of his French military adviser, Major Brissaud Desmailles, has decided upon the creation of an aerial fleet, the organization of which will be entrusted to French officers.
All Chinese staff officers, according to an announcement made recently, will be required to pass through the aviation school either as pilots or observers, and a series of competitions, to which all aeroplane constructors will be invited to send machines, will be held in Peking in 1914.
The Chinese Government, it is said, is anxious to have a great fleet of aeroplanes, which will be used for police work in time of peace.
The 50 H. P. Caudron biplane recently ordered by the Chinese military authorities has been tested by René Caudron at his grounds at Crotoy. The machine attained an altitude of 3,600 feet in 10 minutes, carrying a passenger and considerable extra weight. Twelve more Caudron biplanes have been ordered since.[3]
Patent
This wiki has 0 Chinese patents and 3 patents filed by Chinese nationals and people in China.
Patents filed by persons from China: Patent DK-1917-23860, Patent HU-1917-72218, Patent FR-1917-494204
References
- ↑ Hildebrandt, 1908, Airships Past and Present, p. 170.
China claims for itself the credit of having invented Montgolfières centuries before Montgolfier was born; but it has since somewhat failed to keep int he van of modern progress. It must, however, be admitted that in 1886; CPC Yon, of Paris, was instructed to deliver two balloons, with all necessary appurtenances, in Tientsin, and several months were spent in inducing them to rise in the air. This delay was caused by the fact that the varnished silk melted into a slimy mess on account of the tropical heat. Meanwhile suitable storage accomodation was provided, together with a ground from which the ascents could be made, and the various exercises carried out. Naturally enough the plans included the erection of a magnificent pagoda, from which the presiding viceroy could conveniently follow the manœuvres. After the preparations had been completed, it was found that the balloons were completely useless, and more were therefore ordered with all haste from the same contractors. These arrived in time to fall into the hands of the Russians at the capture of Tiensin in 1900, and nothing further is known about the state of the art in China.
- ↑ Lawson, 1913, Educate Congress and Newspaper Editors, p. 8.
- ↑ Arthur V. Prescott, "Aerial Fleet for China", Aircraft, vol. 4., no. 1, March 1913, p. 11.
