Elenco Submarine - Manual (Page 22)

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Great Kite
The genius Da Vinci drew
inspiration for his work from
his direct observation of the
flight of a bird. Da Vinci
described its dimensions, the
materials with which it is to be
built, its shape and how it works;
the whole notebook revolves precisely
around the construction and use of the
machine. Da Vinci also imparted some
“flying lessons” on how the pilot should operate the machine. The piloting
must have been complex. He would use his hands and feet to activate ropes
and could rotate, move and open and close the wings with his own
movements. Da Vinci’s design is not drawn in its entirety. We must therefore
reconstruct the indispensable parts. These include: the canvas to cover the
wings, some articulations and pulleys, and the tail, which Da Vinci knew was
indispensable for controlling the machine.
Submarine
Leonardo da Vinci himself said that
because it was a lethal weapon it
must not fall into enemy hands, and
this may be another reason why,
instead of drawing the final project,
he drew it disassembled and in a
way that makes it difficult to
understand. A boat with sails has a
part which is submerged in the
water and invisible to enemies. The pilot uses a passage to get into the lower
part undercover: the Mechanical Submarine. A pulley and rope system lowers
the submarine which can unhook itself underwater and proceed invisibly
towards the enemy. The submarine has two air chambers which can be used
for steering and also for air needed by the pilot, who has a mouthpiece.
Steering underwater is done by means of a mechanical system.
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