Made in 1929 by the Istituto Tecnico Industriale “Leonardo da Vinci” and donated to the Biblioteca Leonardiana (Leonardiana Library) in 1938, this model is one of the Museum’s oldest. It is a mechanical wing that mimics the anatomy and operation of birds’ wings.
During the first phase of his reflections on flight, in fact, Leonardo imagined flying machines with beating wings capable of imitating the movement of avian wings. The wing is formed of four segments subdivided into several movable, articulated sections, interconnected by means of flat springs. The articulations are connected using control lines, and by means of a crankshaft system connected to a handle, a rod is actuated causing the wing to move and to take on intermediate positions favorable for slicing through or for compressing the air. At the same time, a rope connecting the control lines, which runs over a pulley, causes the articulations to flex and to extend, after which the joints, thanks to the springs on them, can extend again and automatically return to the initial position. According to Leonardo’s conception, the wing would have had a covering similar to the membrane on a bat’s wings or like those on the fins of a flying fish.
Technical informations
Type of exhibit
Model
Collection
Material
Carved and painted walnut wood, leather, cotton rope, iron
Measures
Height: 39 cm.
Storage location
Relationship with the original work
Source: Leonardo da Vinci, Codex Atlanticus, f. 747 r
Inventory number
Record n. OA: 00000004
Location
Museo Leonardiano, Counts Guidi's castle, ground floor
Last update: 11 November 2025, 10:51