Karl Jatho facts for kids
Karl Jatho (born February 3, 1873 – died December 8, 1933) was a German inventor and a true pioneer in the world of aviation. He was also a performer and worked for the city of Hanover. Jatho is remembered for his early experiments with flying machines, which took place even before the famous flights of the Wright brothers.
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Karl Jatho: A Pioneer of Early Flight
Karl Jatho was one of many brave inventors at the start of the 20th century who dreamed of flying. He spent years working on his flying machines, trying to make them soar through the sky.
Jatho's First Flights in 1903
Between August and November 1903, Jatho made several short "hops" or flights. He used different types of aircraft, first a triplane (with three wings) and then a biplane (with two wings). These tests happened at a place called Vahrenwalder Heide, just outside Hanover.
His very first flight covered a distance of about 18 meters (about 59 feet) and reached an altitude of roughly 1 meter (about 3 feet). It's debated whether his aircraft could be fully controlled during these early hops. Some newspaper articles from that time suggested he had been working on "controllable air vehicles" for years. However, an official document from 1902 seemed to describe a design that still lacked a way to control it.
Many years later, in 1933, four people who had seen Jatho's August 1903 flight gave official statements. They confirmed what they had seen and that the details about his flight were correct.
Comparing Jatho and the Wright Brothers
According to notes from Jatho himself and reports from historians, by November 1903, Jatho had achieved a continuous flight of about 60 meters (nearly 200 feet) at an altitude of 2.5 meters (about 8 feet). This was a whole month before the famous pioneer flights of the Wright brothers on December 17, 1903. The Wright brothers' first flights covered distances of 37, 53, 61, and 260 meters at about 3 meters altitude.
Despite his early successes, Jatho eventually stopped his experiments for a while. He wrote that he "cannot make longer or higher flights" because his "Motor weak." This meant his engine wasn't powerful enough to achieve more impressive flights.
However, Jatho didn't give up completely. With a newer machine, he made more successful flights in 1909. These flights reached about 60 meters in distance and 3 to 4 meters in height. He also tried to start a flying school and an aircraft factory, but these ventures didn't become very successful.
Later Attempts to Recreate Jatho's Flights
Even though some people in Germany believe Karl Jatho made the very first airplane flight, modern researchers have looked closely at his claims. They point out that it took 30 years for Jatho to get official witness statements about his 1903 flights. This long delay makes it harder to confirm his place in aviation history as the absolute first.
In the summer of 1933, Werner Hegge, who used to work with Jatho, tried to prove Jatho's achievements. He built an exact copy of Jatho's original machine and planned a flight demonstration. However, a local newspaper reported that bad weather prevented a safe takeoff on the planned day. This replica later became a public exhibit at the German Aeronautical Collection in Berlin. Sadly, it was destroyed during World War II.
Challenges and Exhibitions
In September 2006, a group of aviation history enthusiasts and replica builders, led by Harald Lohmann, tried again. They built a new replica of Jatho's plane to see if his original claims could be proven. Once more, strong winds and bad weather conditions stopped them from making a successful flight. Even though the replica reached good speed on the ground, it couldn't take off safely.
The team wanted to wait for better weather, but the owner of the replica, Hannover Airport, decided against further tests. Instead, they chose to make the replica a permanent exhibit at their "World of Aviation" exhibition at the airport. This way, many people can still see and learn about Karl Jatho's pioneering efforts in flight.
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