Old planes inspire racecars

"The airplane stays up because it doesn't have the time to fall." -Orville Wright

Old airplanes are really fascinating. Their construction was based on a set of totally different characteristics than the planes we have today. One of the most important aspects was to keep the plane light enough but still rigid so it would not break down during flight. Because of engineering developments we are now able to use light materials that are extremely durable. When you only had wood to work with, it was crucially important that the structure was well designed and could handle the pressure when flying.

If you have watched Formula 1 in these modern days there are some parallels to be made between these super cars and the planes of yesteryear. If you look at the front wings of modern F1-cars, there are multiple winglets there. Look at this old multi-winged glider and the front wing of the Mercedes F1 car. Seem similar?

#Formula1 #Aircraft #History #Oldplanes