Tessiore’s Balloon Project Towed by a Tame Vulture
Illustration from 1845 showing a Project for a Balloon Towed by a Tame Vulture, by an author called Vitalis. It was re-published in 1922 in the book L’Aeronautique des origines a 1922.
Pictured above is a design for a flying machine, consisting of a balloon pulled by a tame vulture. It was originally published in 1845, and was re-published in 1922 in the book L’Aeronautique des origines a 1922. The title of the illustration is Projet de Ballon Remorqué par un Gypaète Spprivoisé, or Project for a Balloon Towed by a Tame Vulture. I’m unable to find any data on the image apart from this, but the content itself is enough to discuss, for obvious reasons. There’s so much to unpack here. The design is rather simple, with a balloon providing the force ascensionnelle, or lifting force, while a tame vulture provides the force directrice, or directional force. There are two pilots riding in a boat-like vessel that hangs under the balloon with straps connected to the vulture. One pilot has a long stick-like object in his hands, which I assume he uses to beat the vulture with. Apparently this would cause the vulture to fly in the direction he wants.
Speaking of the vulture, it’s huge. This could be because the illustrator drew it much closer to the viewer than the balloon, which would account for its size, but in the end it just comes off looking way oversized next to the pilots. If it’s drawn closer to the viewer, that means the entire balloon would be pulled by a normal-sized vulture, which seems off. If the vulture is true-to-size next to the pilots, that means the inventor would need to breed some type of super-vulture. Either way, the vulture’s size is awkward to say the least.
This image walks a fine line between an actual proposal and a work of satire. There’s just enough shown to suggest either one, which gives it a bit of intrigue despite the illustration’s overall sense of naivety. In the end, it wouldn’t work as a flying machine, to be sure, but it’s still a fun thought to imagine it in use.
Read more about other ideas for flying machines here.
Original source for the image located here.