15 Military Inventions of Leonardo
The great Italian architect, inventor, engineer, sculptor and painter Leonardo da Vinci created many weapons, including giant crossbows, machine guns, siege towers, cluster bombs and even a precursor to the modern tank. He is said to be the archetype of the Renaissance man and comprehensive genius.
1. "The Terminator" by Leonardo da Vinci
da-vinci-robot
The mechanical knight Leonadro da Vinci was not discovered until 1957., When Pedreti Carlo (Carlo Pedretti) it is hidden among the myriad projects to Vinci. The mechanical knight, first sketched by Leonardo in 1495g., Mentioned in 1974. in the Codex Madrid, edited by Ladislao Retie (Ladislao Reti), but there was no attempt to reconstruct it until 1996., Rozhaym when Mark (Mark Rosheim) published his study, followed by a joint initiative of Florentskiya instituk and the Museum of History of Science.
However, it was in 2002. Rozhaym built a comprehensive physical model of the robot documentary by BBC. Since then classified as a soldier on wheels, "Leonardo's robot" has exhibited in numerous exhibitions and museums.
In 2007, Mario Taddei (Mario Taddei) made a study of original documents da Vinci, revealing enough information to build another version of the robot soldier closer to the original drawings. This robot is designed only for defensive purposes, not for war or theater. His movements are partly limited, given that hands only move left and right, pulled by a rope. This new model is shown at various exhibitions around the world, and the results of studies of Thaddeus published in a book, Leonardo Da Vinci's Robots (Robots Leonardo da Vinci).
2. Machine gun
machine-gun
Mnogotsevnata gun was a weapon with remarkable firepower. Da Vinci made the circuit of this rotating artillery battery around 1480 while he was in Florence, probably as a business card to a warrior prince in need of a military engineer. Elevation is adjusted by a crank, and the big challenge is overcharging, especially during the shooting.
Although there are opportunities for rapid shooting, which are known later guns, this is ingenious mechanism for targeting and charge. By expanding the firing zone prototype fan of Leonardo da Vinci is potentially effective weapon against the attacking soldiers. In addition, the device can be easily moved across the battlefield as it is lightweight and is mounted on wheels.
3. Cluster bombs
cannon-ball-da-vinci
To make the bombard, or cannon - weapons already known at the time, more deadly da Vinci also designed large projectiles, consisting of round shells placed around the metal particles embedded in an elastic wrap. After launching this invention exploded multiple fragments thus have greater scope and impact than a single cannon.
4. Chariots sickle blades
Scythed chariot by da Vinci
This is one of the most beautiful manuscripts of Leonardo. Are sketched horse-drawn chariots found, which bear sharp rotating blades in battle cut through everything in its path. Rotating blades are specially designed to cut limbs of victims. On one of his drawings Leonardo depicts the carnage in such gruesome detail that he believed his invention would cause less damage to friends as enemies.
5. Artillery cannon
artillery-dome-da-vinci
This drawing is the first page of "Atlantic Code". Drawing itself is very complete and very entertaining shows a sketch of a bombard with sixteen radial cannons rapolozheni. The most interesting part of the project is the center of the bombard, providing only a glimpse of the possibilities of massive weapon. There are a pair of fins and mechanical gears.
6. Tank
Tank-da-vinci
This is perhaps one of the most famous da Vinci projects. The idea reaping panic and destruction among enemy troops was supplied by this kostenurkoobrazno vehicle reinforced with metal plates and surrounded by guns. In job application for the Duke of Milan, da Vinci wrote: "I can make armored cars, safe and unreachable likely to enter into close range of the artillery of the enemy, and not so great company of soldiers that can to break through. Behind them will be able to follow the infantry, unharmed and without any opposition. " The forerunner of the modern tank da Vinci would certainly caused "fear and awe" on the battlefield during the 15th century. The design contains several serious errors. Even after several modifications to the original plans Vinci met quite intractable problems and eventually abandoned the project.
7. Fortification of the city walls
wall-da-vinci
Leonardo invented pompleksni and sophisticated methods of protection. Here, when the walls are attacked, the soldiers hidden behind the battlements could quickly and easily protect themselves from the enemy and his maneuvers using systems of levers. Since the enemy has used the stairs in an attempt to capture the city walls, the bars were designed to push the joists built into the wall on which the stairs are leaning. This rule stalbite unstable and sooner or later fallen.
8. Catapult
catapult-da-vinci
The simple design of the catapult was used hundreds of years before da Vinci to deal with his improvement. Da Vinci actually had a few different ideas. Specifically, this design is used with a double spring plate to produce enormous energy required for the expulsion of large distances stone shell or combustible materials. Tension of the two large springs was done using a hand crank located on one side of the catapult.
9. Fortress
fortress-da-vinci
Leonardo designed this fortress with the idea to make it safe from attacks. Complex shape is very original and suggest that it could be an effective defense against the destructive impacts artireliyski projectiles. Fortress of the da Vinci is considered by many people as very modern in terms of its design round towers and the slightly inclined and exterior walls designed to absorb attacks of firearms. The owner of the fort lived at the center, which according to the original drawings had a secret underground passage. In addition, Fortress has distinguished two levels of concentric walls, the top of which is curved in order to lessen the impact of blows with cannons firing. Small openings make it possible for those who fought from the inside of the castle, to respond to the fire with minimal Rist and injuries.
10. Detachable gun
diassambling-gun-da-vinci
The guns were very heavy and used cars for their transport were often cumbersome. Leonardo designed a device that could very easily be dismantled and transported, it is allowed guns to be easier movement.
11. Strelomet
arrows-da-vinci
Strelometat is a device that throws large arrows or stones. It looks like a modern crossbow, but with shoulders bent inwards. Strelometi models of Leonardo da Vinci are featured in the period when he dealt with the drawings of weapons with gunpowder. Though several reconstructed models can be found, there is no archaeological discoveries of these machines. Perhaps it is because the materials which were used to build the machines were recycled when no longer be needed.
12. Da Vinci's helicopter
Leonardo da Vinci helicopter
It is believed that Leonardo da Vinci was the first thought for machines with vertical takeoff. His drawing of the screw, dating from 1493, was not discovered until the 19th century. It contains a platform equipped with spiral propeller driven by a simple system is not very different from the belt-driven aircraft. In da Vinci's notes said: "if this instrument shaped blade is well made of linen, the pores of which are sealed with starch starch, it should, with an aggressive drive to soar through the air like a spiral."
His project, however, was never realized. Da Vinci has left a mark in aviation through its projects ornitopteri and models of helicopters and said that he started the first public experiments in search of a practical heavier than air flying machines. He was convinced that if one is able to realize the long-coveted dream of traveling the skies above it, it would become a flying machine based on the principle of the helicopter. A little more than two hundred years later, his prediction proved true.
13. Battleship
armoured-vessel-da-vinci
The drawing of the armored ship da Vinci depicts a small vessel with a nose that is protected by metal and used to hitting protivnikovoya ship. Also presented is a rotating shield roof that opens during the boarding in attack. Outer shield provides protection against enemy ships and allow ship to approach the enemy without the cannon to be seen. The shield should not be opened, so as not to reveal the cannon until the armored ship was hit by an enemy ship, or until it is close enough to not slip. The shield is attached to a set of screws that open rapidly increasing element of surprise. When the water is removed, the shield can be used as a brake to compensate for the recoil of the cannon. Shield closes with a system of manually operated screw.
14. Giant Crossbow
arbalet-da-vinci
Crossbow is so huge that its six wheels are placed at a slight angle to increase stability. The giant crossbow is made of flexible wooden pieces connected by ropes and connected with rotating pins. Its length is approximately thirteen meters and tightened with a complex screw mechanism. Da Vinci has provided screws to adjust thrust to the back of the bow, where he placed second screw mechanism designed to reduce the force required to bend the bow in motion.
15. Siege weapons da Vinci
siege-machine-da-vinci
The model proposed by Leonardo presents machine designed to attack the firewall. It consists of a mobile structure with an armored bridge that rests the walls of the fortress of the enemy, allowing the army to enter upon the city or castle. In addition to offering classic Vinci system to attack the enemy city walls. The ladder is placed on special supports made of partially toothed rack includes in-wheel-drive screw. With the crank wheel turns back and forth, which raise and lower the ladder.
