Ogneslav Kostovic Stepanovic
Encyclopedia
Ognjeslav Kostović Stepanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Огњеслав Костовић Степановић) (1851- 16 December 1916) was an Serbian inventor. He was born in Wiesburg, Austria to a Serbian noble family residing in Pesta, Hungary, but spent most of his life in Saint Petersburg
, Russia.
He is credited with creating "arbonite" (i.e. plywood
), the first plastic in the world. Kostović patent
ed the technology of the production of arbonite in the USA on 4 September 1906. In early 1880s he designed and attempted to construct a dirigible (airship
), about 20 years before Ferdinand von Zeppelin
. His flight vehicle was destroyed in a fire and it was never tested in the air. He also developed and constructed a large gasoline engine for his dirigible. In 1879 he demonstrated his flying models of a helicopter
, aircraft
and ornithopter
, while in 1881 approached the building of an aircraft. In the catalog of aeronautical exhibition 1911 and in the article of G.V. Piotrovski it is said, that Kostović actually constructed a flight vehicle. The same was also said in A. Ewald's report in the Russian technical society on 12 March 1883.
Ognjeslav lived with his family in Saint Petersburg
, Russia. He celebrated the slava
of Saint Nicholas
every year and one of his regular guests was Dmitri Mendeleev
.
One of his daughters married a Serbian officer and, during the First World War, she became, together with Nadežda Petrović
, a voluntary nurse. Two of his daughters lived in Belgrade
.
When he died in December 1916 in Saint Petersburg
, the press reported that "a brilliant inventor and scientist has disappeared, a man who has, for many reasons, deserved that future generations remember his unusual destiny and scientific achievements".
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia.
He is credited with creating "arbonite" (i.e. plywood
Plywood
Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...
), the first plastic in the world. Kostović patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed the technology of the production of arbonite in the USA on 4 September 1906. In early 1880s he designed and attempted to construct a dirigible (airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
), about 20 years before Ferdinand von Zeppelin
Ferdinand von Zeppelin
Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin was a German general and later aircraft manufacturer. He founded the Zeppelin Airship company...
. His flight vehicle was destroyed in a fire and it was never tested in the air. He also developed and constructed a large gasoline engine for his dirigible. In 1879 he demonstrated his flying models of a helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
, aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
and ornithopter
Ornithopter
An ornithopter is an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings. Designers seek to imitate the flapping-wing flight of birds, bats, and insects. Though machines may differ in form, they are usually built on the same scale as these flying creatures. Manned ornithopters have also been built, and some...
, while in 1881 approached the building of an aircraft. In the catalog of aeronautical exhibition 1911 and in the article of G.V. Piotrovski it is said, that Kostović actually constructed a flight vehicle. The same was also said in A. Ewald's report in the Russian technical society on 12 March 1883.
Ognjeslav lived with his family in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia. He celebrated the slava
Slava
The Slava , also called Krsna Slava and Krsno ime , is the Serbian Orthodox tradition of the ritual celebration and veneration of a family's own patron saint. The family celebrates the Slava annually on the patron saint's feast day...
of Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
every year and one of his regular guests was Dmitri Mendeleev
Dmitri Mendeleev
Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev , was a Russian chemist and inventor. He is credited as being the creator of the first version of the periodic table of elements...
.
One of his daughters married a Serbian officer and, during the First World War, she became, together with Nadežda Petrović
Nadežda Petrovic
Nadežda Petrović is considered the most important Serbian female painter from the late 19th and early 20th century...
, a voluntary nurse. Two of his daughters lived in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
.
When he died in December 1916 in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, the press reported that "a brilliant inventor and scientist has disappeared, a man who has, for many reasons, deserved that future generations remember his unusual destiny and scientific achievements".