Sikorsky's Giant Four-Engine Aircraft Flies

In 1913, the Russian engineer Igor Sikorsky flew the largest aircraft yet built, a pioneering four-engine machine sometimes called the Russky Vityaz, or Russian Knight. At a time when most aircraft were small single-engine craft, Sikorsky's biplane was a giant, with a wingspan of roughly ninety feet and a weight measured in tons.

Powered by four engines mounted on its lower wing, the aircraft demonstrated that large multi-engine flight was practical. It carried multiple passengers in an enclosed cabin and remained aloft for well over an hour during its early demonstrations, an extraordinary achievement for the period.

The design proved the viability of multi-engine aviation and led directly to the Ilya Muromets, which served as the world's first heavy bomber and large transport during the First World War. Igor Sikorsky later emigrated to the United States, where he became famous for his flying boats and, ultimately, for developing the practical helicopter.