The Drachenflieger aircraft constructed by Wilhelm Kress attempted its initial powered takeoffs on the surface of the Wienerwaldsee near Vienna in 1901. Although the project ended when the machine struck floating lake debris, these efforts positioned him among the primary international figures competing to achieve the first sustained, powered heavier-than-air flight during the turn of the century.
Early Career and Research
Born in 1836 in Saint Petersburg to Bavarian parents, Kress eventually relocated to Vienna in 1873. During his time in the Russian capital, he developed his foundational interest in aviation mechanics. Upon settling in Austria, where he later obtained naturalized citizenship, he began an intensive period of research into non-powered flight. By 1877, he had successfully engineered the first modern delta-flying hang glider, a significant advancement for an era characterized by the persistent difficulties of early aeronautical design.
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Beyond his work on gliders, Kress experimented with small-scale propulsion systems. Between 1877 and 1880, he demonstrated rubber band powered flying models known as the Aeroveloce. In 1900, he developed the control stick, an essential mechanism for modern aircraft navigation. Although he created this device, he opted not to file for a patent. Consequently, official patent recognition was later granted to French aviator Robert Esnault-Pelterie, who submitted his own application in 1907.
Engineering Setbacks
The technical limitations of early internal combustion technology hindered Kress's ability to achieve sustained flight. For the Drachenflieger, he ordered a motor from Daimler, but the delivered engine weighed twice as much as the initial specifications required. Furthermore, the unit functioned at only half of its nominal power output. This power-to-weight deficit made controlled flight impossible. The machine was ultimately destroyed following a collision with submerged debris during a water takeoff attempt.
Legacy
Kress died in 1913 at the age of 77 and was buried at the Vienna Central Cemetery. His career as an inventor, aircraft pilot, and aerospace engineer left a mark on the history of aviation. While his primary projects did not achieve the success of the Wright brothers, his early delta-wing designs and the development of the control stick remain part of the settled record of aeronautical progress.
Fast facts
- Born: 1836, Saint Petersburg
- Died: 1913, Vienna
- Burial site: Vienna Central Cemetery
- Occupation: Aerospace engineer
- Primary field: Aviation
- Key invention: Control stick
- Key aircraft: Drachenflieger
- Citizenship: Austrian
Questions readers ask
Did Wilhelm Kress receive a patent for his control stick?
No, he developed the control stick in 1900 but did not apply for a patent.
Why did the Drachenflieger fail to achieve controlled flight?
The Daimler engine provided was twice the specified weight and operated at only half the required power output.
Achievements
- Worked as inventor, aircraft pilot and aerospace engineer
