In response to Aimee Turner's post in her Future Proof blog about the hoverfly's inspiration for an aircraft's wing... I found a feature in Flight's PDF archive on the evolution of the Etrich "Taube" monoplane.
The article, published in February 1915 explains that the different types of Etrich machines are designated by the names of various birds, "owing to the fact that the planes are wing-shaped.
"As a matter of fact, this design does not derive its origin from the bird, but from the seed-leaf of the Zanonia palm, which possesses remarkable gliding properties when dried."
Leave a comment
Want a user picture? Get a Gravatar!