A forgotten flight on wheels: Berlin’s propeller car

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There have been plenty of inventors who believed that propeller drive could pave the way for the transport of the future. Marcel Leyat famously built his prop-powered Helica and also managed to push his three-wheeled racing Aerocar to 171 km/h on the Montlhéry race track in 1927.

This one is not quite so well known. As a matter of fact, all that we do know about it is that it was photographed in 1922 in Berlin, Germany — supposedly. Unlike Leyat’s creations, it placed the propeller at the back, but hang on — is there a propeller at all? Or is it moving so fast here that the camera’s long shutter speed doesn’t record it?

Do note that the propeller-surround is nicely incorporated into the roof structure — only for the passenger. Chassis frame, suspension and wheels don’t seem to be the toughest of what was available in Germany at the time, but somebody believed in it! Any details in the comments, please.

Words: Jeroen Booij

Picture: Chuck’s Toyland

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