Fuseri-Miller ortho-helicopter

[Stingray]

This machine was designed by the pharmacist Dr. A. Fuseri, who lived in a small town called Fossano in the Piemonte province of Italy. The factory of Franz Miller, an aeronautical engineer, built the aircraft as a contractor.

Miller once called the machine an "Ornitottero", or "ornithopter". It is actually a mix of both an ornithopter and a helicopter, by having both a vertical propeller at the center of the fuselage and flapping wings, hence Fuseri's name "Ortoelicottero", or "ortho-helicopter".

Tests were apparently unsuccessful.

(Actual test date is unknown... either 1908 or 1909)

 

[Aviostoria]

From: Origini dell'aviazione in Italia - 1783-1918 by Piero Vergnano

To Ing. Miller must be given the credit for having founded in Turin the first worshop dealing with aeronautical construction.
The first type of aircraft of which two models were built was an "ornithopter" (otherwise called "orthohelicopter" designed by Dr. Fuseri of Fossano.
A regular company was formed in Fossano to produce it. Of the two models built, one was finished in Turin in July 1909 and the other was taken to Fossano to be completed and improved by Fuseri.
Neither of the two machines, however, was ever tested, both on account of the differences of opinion that arose between the designer and the builder and through the obvius impossibility of the machines ever flying owing to the erroneous principles on which the design had been based.

Ornithopter Fuseri-Miller
Power plant Miller 100 hp. driving a propeller rotating on vertical axis.