The Wing
“THE WING” CREATED BY ​WAAGMEESTER CANVAS PRODUCTS
DaVinci’s 16th century sketch brought to life in the 21st century
In the summer of 1503, Leonardo DaVinci was living in Tuscany, a region of Italy near Florence. It was during this time that he was exploring the concept of flight. His drawings from this period show the study he was making of the wings of birds and bats. It was with these drawings in the Codex Atlantic that you will find his renditions of what human powered flight might look like.
Dayton, Ohio leads the country in celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the Wright brothers invention of flight in July 2003. Casey Dale of Bungee.com came to Waagmeester with the concept drawing shown on the left. This “DaVinci Inspired Wing” would be the centerpiece of his contribution to the celebration in Ohio. Casey’s requirement for the finished project was that it be a “high tech / old world wing”.
Armed with the drawings, some technical specifications, and a great deal of latitude, Erik and Kurt Waagmeester began making the dream become a reality. In addition to studying the drawings, they got ideas and information from a former Air Force One Chief Communications Officer.
The basic skeleton is built out of Faber-Frame, an aluminum product that is common in the awning extrusion industry. The frame was powder coated in an organic color to keep old-world charm.
The initial idea for the fabric was that a single piece could be sewn to shape. It became quickly apparent, though, that additional stability and detail would be needed. The material was cut and sewn from several pieces in a way that would insure greater strength. The color is Solist 82, a beautiful copper that was reminiscent of Leonardo’s drawing.
Waagmeester Canvas Products was founded in 1945 and remains a family owned company. Erik and Kurt Waagmeester are the sales and production managers of the awning division of the company. Our reputation for fine craftsmanship, excellent work, and attention to detail is something we take seriously. Read more about our awnings, and how they can benefit you.
The Flying Wing was a custom job that offered interest and excitement. If you have a custom project that needs to be done, and it has anything to do with ropes, canvas, coverings, or cabling – we just might be up to the task. Give us a call or fire off a query by clicking here for email. – Erik Waagmeester.
Thanks for reading about this fun project we had.
