I do not agree, that Wright Brothers are trying to build a Box Kite, Aviation development, was much more ahead at that time, as various people are trying to fly machines with different kind of engines.

Another unsung hero in wright brother's flight was Charlie Taylor, their bicycle shop employee, who developed engine for them, as engine manufacturers of that time, didn't given ear to develop a engine to their specifications.

So certainly they were not behind development of a big box kite.

Possibly every one should re-read the wiki page on Mr. Talpade - its full of contradictions on whether the plane flew or not. Mr.T's guru was never successful in flying his aircraft designs either. Note that the current approach to "wiki" stuf is that it can't be believed entirely!!! And if there was a mercury based engine some one would have tried it out by now. If not lets read "all about it" and make one. Whats the point of talking about zero and pi and remaining  zeros in action (or rather zeros thru inaction!!!).

Frankly Mr.T's story is definitely interesting that "we too" spent time developing flying machines long back. But thats exactly what it is - "long back"!!! Nothing to gloat over especially nothing to gloat over a wiki-page that leaks so few details. Must be easy to write these pages!!

Now, who was the guy who designed the stealth bomber...... must have read the vedas and the stealthy-shastra!!!

I will add the flight of an Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) Assamese fighter pilot who supposedly flew a Japanese Mitusibishi Zero from Singapore all the way back to Sapekathi (Sivasagar) in Assam. He then hid it in a pond and it is being resurrected now. I've been trying to chase this story for the last 5 years and NOTHING has materialised so far. Plane or no plane, it still resides in the depths of the pond.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060124/asp/northeast/story_5757644.asp

There is a study of the vimanika sastra at this place. Read it (I actually did) to understand the feasibility of building and flying aircraft at 600 kmph fueled by elephant and cow urine!! Read on http://cgpl.iisc.ernet.in/site/Portals/0/Publications/ReferedJournal/ACriticalStudyOfTheWorkVaimanikaShastra.pdf

tg, i dnt think wiki is responsible for the existance of this story till today...I personally had faith in this story coz i've been hearing abt it since my childhood & was there was no wiki then for sure. Wiki has simply put it before the world now.
As for 'that' engine, there was noise abt NASA developing new tech for its space missions which was lot similar to mr. Talpade's engine technology. Wether he was succesfull in his experiment or not is a matter of debate. Let us approach HAL and find out what relevent documents regarding this event are in their possesion as mentioned in wiki pages. Whats the harm...

there is nothing to gloat over, today...coz we failed to be a part of aviation history i suppose!

Awesome contribution of India to world by Rajiv Dixit.
check this out you all will get to know what we Indian's are capable of....
>>>1hr 29mins.......truth about Wright Brother's


You'll be proud of our country.
hat's off to Shri Talpade Ji

talpade, recent discussion on him

@rcpilotacro,
Later known as Topulev, presumably!