Uncle Franz's parachute 
2003 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance
I don't know if you ae interested but I have a picture of someone who may be my relative called Franz Reichelt. He is dressed in what looks like a huge black overcoat and the caption reads:
'Monsieur Franz Rechelt with his early parachute - an outstanding example of the way n which early aviators were as spectacular in their failures as in their successes. Reichelt was an Austrian tailor who sought to combine his interests by creating a garment to serve both as an overcoat and a parachute. In 1911 he decided to test his invention. Having told the authorities that he wanted to make a 'dummy' drop, at the last minute he strapped huimself in, and with sublime confidence stepped from a platform of the bEiffel Tower, and fell to his death.'
If you haven't seen this one before I could email you the picture of Franz
Rechelt in his invention.
Picture: www.DarwinAwards.com/i/UncleFranz.jpeg
Submitted on 01/07/2003
Submitted by:
Robin Reichelt
Reference:
Copyright © 2002 DarwinAwards.com
|
