Born in Măgureni, Prahova County, he was trained as an aeronautical engineer. He claimed to have devised over a hundred inventions,[1][2] although a search revealed only two patents in his name.[3] Machines on which he worked included 72 fuel-efficient cars, 15 unconventional engines and seven aircraft.[4] He reported that as early as 1949–1950, he built a motor that would respond to verbal commands. A 1955 two-wheel automobile, which he dubbed the Virgilius, used an airplane motor, reached 300 km/hour and weighed 250 kg.[1] One of his cars, which he called the Soleta and which he modeled in 1973, was unusually small. It consumed 0.5 liters of gasoline per 100 km.[5] Later, he continued developing prototypes for battery-powered motors, with a particular focus on increased efficiency and decreased weight.[1]
Perhaps his most notorious claim is to have invented the jet pack. According to an interview he gave, he proposed this device to the Romanian Academy in 1956 and completed it in 1958. When the Academy declined to show interest, he offered it to the American Embassy, which was also uninterested. He was then jailed by the Communist regime for having approached the embassy. He claimed to have flown the device and received a patent in 1958.[6] Although he later showed photographs of a device, he was unable to prove when he built it, whether he flew it or when the photographs were taken.[7] He never explained how he learned to fly his device, how long he stayed airborne, how many times he flew it, or why there is no contemporary documentation of the flight.[7]
Nevertheless, in Romania alone, his claim to have invented the jet pack is widely believed. While Capră undoubtedly built two jet pack-like devices, the second one dated from the mid-1960s, and he claimed that as the groundbreaking model. At the same time, he admitted his 1958 design did not work.[8] Still, he claimed that an American design for a jet pack only appeared in 1962, four years after his own. However, one team from Bell Laboratories applied for a patent in 1960, while another, from Thompson Ramo Woolridge in Ohio, filed in 1958, the same year Capră said he filed in Romania.[9] Despite the shakiness of Capră's assertions, it is widely accepted in Romania that at least one of his jet packs was flown before Bell's. Additionally, many Romanian sources on Capră state that "the Americans" stole his design. What likely transpired is that Capră' who had no independent evidence he built anything before 1967, saw the Bell model fly and copied it.[3] This second model is in a museum in Bucharest,[8] although he probably never flew it. Late in life, he began to state that he beat Bell by two years.[3] A resident of Filipeștii de Pădure in his later years, he died in Ploiești.[1]
Notes
^ abcdMihai, Dana (January 19, 2015). "Justin Capră a murit. Viaţa inventatorului rucsacului zburător pe care l-au 'furat' americanii de la NASA". Adevărul.
^Bălan, Oana (May 19, 2011). "Inventatorul Iustin Capră: 'Automobilul este o crimă!'". Adevărul.
^Mutler, Alison (January 29, 2015). "Justin Capra: Engineer who invented the jetpack, as well as coming up with numerous prototypes for fuel-efficient vehicles". The Independent.
^Mihai, Dana (January 20, 2015). "Justin Capră a murit. Ultimul pariu al inventatorului pentru viitor: casa ecologică, controlată prin smartphone". Adevărul.
justin, capră, virgilius, february, 1933, january, 2015, romanian, engineer, inventor, justin, virgilius, caprăcapră, 2011born, 1933, february, 1933măgureni, prahova, county, romaniadied19, january, 2015, 2015, aged, ploiești, romaniacitizenshipromanianscienti. Virgilius Justin Capră 22 February 1933 19 January 2015 was a Romanian engineer and inventor Justin Virgilius CaprăCapră in 2011Born 1933 02 22 22 February 1933Măgureni Prahova County RomaniaDied19 January 2015 2015 01 19 aged 81 Ploiești RomaniaCitizenshipRomanianScientific careerFieldsAeronautical engineeringBiography EditBorn in Măgureni Prahova County he was trained as an aeronautical engineer He claimed to have devised over a hundred inventions 1 2 although a search revealed only two patents in his name 3 Machines on which he worked included 72 fuel efficient cars 15 unconventional engines and seven aircraft 4 He reported that as early as 1949 1950 he built a motor that would respond to verbal commands A 1955 two wheel automobile which he dubbed the Virgilius used an airplane motor reached 300 km hour and weighed 250 kg 1 One of his cars which he called the Soleta and which he modeled in 1973 was unusually small It consumed 0 5 liters of gasoline per 100 km 5 Later he continued developing prototypes for battery powered motors with a particular focus on increased efficiency and decreased weight 1 Perhaps his most notorious claim is to have invented the jet pack According to an interview he gave he proposed this device to the Romanian Academy in 1956 and completed it in 1958 When the Academy declined to show interest he offered it to the American Embassy which was also uninterested He was then jailed by the Communist regime for having approached the embassy He claimed to have flown the device and received a patent in 1958 6 Although he later showed photographs of a device he was unable to prove when he built it whether he flew it or when the photographs were taken 7 He never explained how he learned to fly his device how long he stayed airborne how many times he flew it or why there is no contemporary documentation of the flight 7 Nevertheless in Romania alone his claim to have invented the jet pack is widely believed While Capră undoubtedly built two jet pack like devices the second one dated from the mid 1960s and he claimed that as the groundbreaking model At the same time he admitted his 1958 design did not work 8 Still he claimed that an American design for a jet pack only appeared in 1962 four years after his own However one team from Bell Laboratories applied for a patent in 1960 while another from Thompson Ramo Woolridge in Ohio filed in 1958 the same year Capră said he filed in Romania 9 Despite the shakiness of Capră s assertions it is widely accepted in Romania that at least one of his jet packs was flown before Bell s Additionally many Romanian sources on Capră state that the Americans stole his design What likely transpired is that Capră who had no independent evidence he built anything before 1967 saw the Bell model fly and copied it 3 This second model is in a museum in Bucharest 8 although he probably never flew it Late in life he began to state that he beat Bell by two years 3 A resident of Filipeștii de Pădure in his later years he died in Ploiești 1 Notes Edit a b c d Mihai Dana January 19 2015 Justin Capră a murit Viaţa inventatorului rucsacului zburător pe care l au furat americanii de la NASA Adevărul Bălan Oana May 19 2011 Inventatorul Iustin Capră Automobilul este o crimă Adevărul a b c Lehto 2013 p 188 Mutler Alison January 29 2015 Justin Capra Engineer who invented the jetpack as well as coming up with numerous prototypes for fuel efficient vehicles The Independent Mihai Dana January 20 2015 Justin Capră a murit Ultimul pariu al inventatorului pentru viitor casa ecologică controlată prin smartphone Adevărul Lehto 2013 p 185 a b Lehto 2013 pp 185 186 a b Lehto 2013 p 187 Lehto 2013 p 186 References EditLehto Steve 2013 The Great American Jet Pack The Quest for the Ultimate Individual Lift Device Illinois Chicago Review Press ISBN 978 161374 430 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Justin Capră amp oldid 1017972678, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
