How our ancestors conquered the sky

Since ancient times people dreamed of flying like birds. Many of you know the legend of Icarus, which flew from the island of Crete from the evil ruler of Minos. Freaks have always been in many countries, not only in the ancient world.

For example, in the times of Ivan the Terrible, a peasant boy, Nikita, climbed a high bell tower in the Alexander settlement, and he had wings of his own production in his hands. Nikita jumped down, waved his wings and successfully flew across the fortress wall. But this act of a young self-taught aviator was not appreciated. The guy was accused of the fact that this act was not without the participation of evil forces. The verdict was severe for him.The guy was cut off with the words: "cut off the head of the inventor, throw the body to the pigs for food"

At the beginning of the 18th century, peasant Yemelyan Ivanov set about building an aircraft equipped with mica wings, which were to be inflated with air. True, Emelian did not have any money. Its boyar Ivan Ivanovich Troyekurov, who lent to the national craftsman 5 rubles, the amount for those times is not small. Having finished work on a strange, at that time, machine, Emelyan Ivanov went to the square and called the people. He said to the escaped gapers that the aircraft's launch was now underway. But, as Emelyan began to pump his wings, the mica burst. The inveterate inventor was beaten by the batogs, and the debt of 5 rubles was collected from relatives.

In 1729, a blacksmith from the village of Klyuchi, near the town of Ryazhsk, made wings of wire and feathers. Eyewitnesses claimed that the blacksmith managed to soar above the ground, but one day he landed on the roof of a local church. An angry priest ordered to burn his wings, and letna let down anathema.

In 1731, one craftsman from Ryazan made a large ball, which began to inflate smoke. The audience watched with delight as the pilot was able to climb this ball "above the birch". But, the official authorities were less enthusiastic about such an undertaking: he was banished from the city forever.

There are such interesting stories.