Quick Facts
Leo
Biography
Stefan Drzewiecki (July 26, 1844 in Kunka, Podolia, Russian Empire (today Ukraine, formerly Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) – April 23, 1938 in Paris) was a Polish scientist, journalist, engineer, constructor and inventor, working in France and the Russian Empire.
Life
Drzewiecki was born into Polish aristocratic (szlachta) family of national patriots. His grandfather Józef Drzewiecki served under Kościuszko and Dąbrowski. His father Karol Drzewiecki took part in the November Uprising. Young Stefan was sent by him away from partitioned Poland to complete his education in France. With a knack for creativity and invention, Stefan Drzewiecki invented such useful tools as the kilometric counter for taxicabs. At the special request of Grand Duke Konstantin, Drzewiecki moved to Saint Petersburg in 1873 at the age of 29. While in Russia Drzewiecki had a fruitful career as a mechanical engineer.
Career
Drzewiecki distinguished himself mainly in aviation and ship building. Beginning in 1877, during the Russo-Turkish War, he developed several models of propeller-driven submarines that evolved from single-person vessels to a four-man model. He developed the theory of gliding flight, developed a method for the manufacture of ship and plane propellers (1892), and presented a general theory for screw-propeller thrust (1920). He also developed several models of early submarines for the Russian Navy, and devised a torpedo-launching system for ships and submarines that bears his name, the Drzewiecki drop collar. He also made an instrument that drew the precise routes of ships onto a nautical chart.
His work Theorie générale de l'hélice (1920), was honored by the French Academy of Science as fundamental in the development of modern propellers.