Short Stories of Science and Invention

A Collection of Radio Talks by

Charles F. Kettering

INDEX

Weekly, from September 1942 to July 1945, Charles F. Kettering gave five-minute intermission talks about Science and Invention during the radio broadcasts of the General Motors Symphony of the Air.

Kettering invented the first automobile self-starter, and for 31 years directed a research laboratory for General Motors.

These radio talks are a fascinating legacy from the mind of a prolific inventor. The obvious anachronisms now add a historical perspective of the war-time period in which they were written.

These web pages now preserve some of the most popular stories for a new generation to read The text and art come from a General Motors booklet of selected talks. (Reprint, March 1959)

12. Patience and Practice
A Radio Talk by Charles F. Kettering

In these talks, we have often stressed the value of patience in developing new things because, as a rule, it takes a long time for an idea to grow up. Today, we have an outstanding example of this from the career of a young Russian who over 40 years ago started experiments in aviation which are just now coming into use.

Da Vinci Helicopter Fifty-five years ago, Igor Sikorsky was born in Kiev, in Southern Russia. Igor grew up in a scientific atmosphere - his father was a professor of psychology and his mother was educated in medicine. His mother greatly admired Leonardo da Vinci and often told her son of the many accomplishments of the great artist, but da Vinci's flying machine designs made an indelible impression on the boy's mind, even though they were made 400 years before.

With this background, it was only natural that in 1908, when he read about the Wright brothers, he resolved to make flying his career, so he began to collect all the information he could find on the subject. He remembered da Vinci's helicopter sketch, and this may have influenced him to work on a machine that would rise vertically.