John Stringfellow (1799 – 1883) of Sheffield, England, was an important pioneer of flight, working with William Henson. He made the first powered flight of a model aeroplane in a disused lace factory in Chard in 1848. The model had a wingspan of 3 metres and was powered by a steam engine. The ultimate aim was a steam-powered air car capable of carrying passengers up to 1000 miles.
The engine cylinder has a 3/4 inch bore and a 2 inch stroke. A bevel gear on the crankshaft gave the propellers three times the speed of the engine.
The boiler consisted of a set of cones acting as water tubes, connected to a cylindrical steam tank above.
The weight of the whole model, including water and fuel, was less than 9 pounds.
Further reading:
“Henson and Stringfellow: Their Work in Aeronautics” by M Davy, Science Museum 1931
