Ancient Flying Machines

thingiverse

Upon seeing photographs of the ancient golden artifacts that resemble a fusion of high-tech jets and animals, I am immediately captivated by the notion of technologically advanced beings soaring through the skies in these sleek aircrafts. 3D printing offers us the ideal platform to test whether our ancestors were onto something with these designs or if their imagination simply ran wild. Thus far, I have not managed to get my prints airborne for more than a few seconds. However, this is hardly surprising given that the originals do not boast large wing-spans and therefore cannot be expected to function like some of the ingenious "glider" designs found on Thingiverse. Their shape is more akin to the powerful jets used by military organizations today. While several enthusiasts have successfully created models based on the artifacts that fly, they have always achieved this by installing a motor and using radio controls - a feat beyond my current capabilities. I leave these designs here in the hopes that one of you fellow makers will improve or add to them, enabling them to take to the skies. In the meantime, they can be suspended from strings, simply swinging gently in the summer breeze. If you are interested in learning more about these incredible artifacts: http://www.theancientaliens.com#!technology--quimbaya-airplanes/ciu4 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quimbaya_artifacts http://www.mysterypile.com/quimbaya.php http://www.banrepcultural.org/museo-del-oro/sociedades/tolima/avioncitos-sorprendentes NB: This design was previously titled "Mayan Flying Machine"