KITE TRIVIA
 

• In 1752 by flying a kite during a thunderstorm, Benjamin Franklin proved that lighting was not a supernatural power but a natural phenomenon called electricity.

• In 1866 The first kite was granted a patent in the United States. This was for a hexagon-shaped flat kite with two inwardly bent (curved) masts. 

• In 1888 Arthur Batut took the first aerial photograph from a kite-lifted camera in Labruguiere, France

• In 1894 Lawrence Hargraves was lifted above the beach at Stanwell Park Beach (Sydney) by four of his box kites. These experiments ultimately led to air travel, though Hargraves received little credit for his contributions.

• In 1898 in Milton Massachusetts a modified Hargraves Box Kite with about 86 sq. ft of sail area rose more than 2 miles over the earths surface to reach a height of 12,471 feet (3,801 meters). Today’s kites are restricted by aviation rules to flying no more than 300 feet 

• 1n 1942, Commander Paul Edward Garber designed an inexpensive moving-target kite for the U.S.Navey to use in gunnery practise. (The first 2 string stunt Kite)

• In 1981 a Dutch team flew an inflatable airfoil type of kite. It was 5,952 sq feet (553 sq meters) claiming the record of the worlds largest kite.

• Todays largest Kite is the Megaray. It measures 38 meters across and 66 meters long. It has approximately 1,500 square meters of fabric and 500 hours of work in the design and construction of this truly awesome creature.