Charles Leroux (name given at birth to Joseph Johnson ; October 31, 1856, Waterbury, USA - September 12 [1] 1889, Revel, Russian Empire) - American balloonist and parachutist, creator of his own original model parachute. He died in the Gulf of Tallinn in Revel, blown away by the wind after the 239th jump in his career.
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Content
- 1 Career
- 2 Flight in Revel and death
- 3 Contribution to the development of aeronautics and parachuting
- 4 memory
- 5 notes
Career
Born in Waterbury ( Connecticut , USA ). Arrived in Europe in 1889 with the goal of demonstrating his skills in aeronautics and skydiving. He gave several performances in Berlin and Bremen , where he parachuted from a basket of a balloon that he himself piloted. After that, he went on a tour of the Russian Empire , gave a performance in Moscow , which gathered a record number of spectators, followed by Moscow to Riga , where he performed with his crown numbers in Vermansky Park , also with a large crowd, and then went to Revel , with representatives whose administration he was awarded a contract. Initially, the flight of Leroux was scheduled for September 10, but in connection with gusts of squally wind it was decided to postpone it to September 12. Despite the fact that by this day the wind had not calmed down, the pilot decided to fly into the air.
Flight in Revel and Death
The cylinder was filled with gas from one of the local gas factories; At exactly five o'clock in the evening he rose from the small elevation of Harjumägi, from the territory where the fortress bastion was previously located. The wind immediately captured the balloon and quickly carried it to the waters of the Tallinn Bay . The amazed audience could not influence the situation in any way; they could only watch the dramatic development of events from the side. Flying over the houses near the bay, the balloonist Leroux made his last attempt to escape and jumped with a parachute attached to the outboard seat. However, strong gusts of wind caught the parachute, crushed it and carried it at an enormous speed to the open sea. The parachute plunged into the sea about a mile and a quarter from the coast. According to eyewitnesses, Leroux made no attempt to get rid of the parachute and almost at the same moment disappeared under water. Some witnesses later suggested they saw him appear once or twice above the surface of the water. However, no safety measures were provided for in the bay, so when ten minutes later the rescue boats arrived at the parachute crash site, they could not find Leroux's tracks. The body of the balloonist was discovered by locals only two days later. Medical examination data indicated that Leroux drowned. [2] [3] [4] Charles Leroux was buried in the Copley cemetery in Tallinn.
Contribution to the development of aeronautics and parachuting
The death of Charles Leroux in Revel did not alienate enthusiasts from parachuting; on the contrary, hundreds of young people began professionally engaged in aeronautics and parachuting. In particular, aviation sport in Estonia began to develop thanks to the last flight of Leroux, which inspired many to achieve high results.
Memory
In memory of Charles Leroux on September 12, 1989, a sculptural composition was installed on the seafront in Pirita , on the pedestal of which the words “Brave and energetic people” ( Est. „Julgetele ja teotahtelistele inimestele” ) are engraved . The author of the memorial sign is Mati Karmin.
Notes
- ↑ Tallinna Oleviste kiriku surmameetrika 1889
- ↑ Ülo Keedus. Kukkumisest maandumiseni. - Tallinn: Valgus, 1981.
- ↑ Isidor Goldman, Ants Künnapuu. Charles Leroux 'viimne hüpe. - Tallinn, 1989.
- ↑ Õhusõitja Leroux // Postimees: Newspaper. - 1889. - June 24 ( No. 70 ). - S. 3 .