Flying?

This is coolbert:

With regard to the recent post about the mechanical "mule" being devised to carry the load of the soldier, this is NOT the first time that contrivances of such a nature have been experimented with or devised for the military.

In the 1950's, the U.S. Army came up with the idea of the flying platform. A one-man flying "device" that would have remove any and all terrain obstacles that may beset the soldier.

The flying platform was just that. A platform a single soldier could stand on, gripping tightly to hand rails. Under the platform was an engine with propeller[s]. The "device" would be akin to a one-man helicopter, without rotor. Could take-off and land from almost any location. Rather than march the soldier would take off and land at the intended destination.

This "thing" did work. Was able to take off and land vertically. Could be "piloted", but ONLY in the trained hands of a proficient PILOT.



"Charles H. Zimmerman's concept known as the "Flying Shoes". Charles Zimmerman, to the amusement of his engineering peers, proved the theory that rotors on the top (i.e. helicopters) are inherently unstable. Zimmerman theorized a person's natural balancing reflexes would suffice in controlling a small flying machine. Charles coined the term "kinesthetic control," similar to riding a bicycle or balancing a surfboard."

"This invention relates generally to ways and means for propelling a person through the air in a controlled flight. More particularly the invention provides a wingless aircraft propelled by thrust reaction and capable of vertical ascent for take off and climbing, hovering in the air, horizontal flight, and vertical descent under such conditions that directional control, and transition from vertical to horizontal flight and vice versa are effected by body movements or balance of the pilot flying the machine." (A statement from the Patent # 2,953,321)

Resulted only in an experimental models. Thank GOD. I just cannot imagine a whole lot of these things on the modern battlefield as having a whole lot of usefulness. Just maintenance for a small army of these "things" would have been a nightmare. And training troops to "fly" the "thing" would have also been laboriously time consuming. The soldier would have to spend all his time just learning to fly and then maintaining a constant state of practice to maintain proficiency.

Read further about the "flying platform" by clicking here.

"similar to riding a bicycle or balancing a surfboard."

Yeah, sure, I bet!!

coolbert.