Franz Reichelt: The Eiffel Tower Jump That Ended in Tragedy #FranzReichelt #EiffelTower #ParachuteSuit #InventionGoneWrong | The Two Pennies

Franz Reichelt jumping from the Eiffel Tower in a handmade parachute in 1912. | The Flyer Vaults

In 1912, Franz Reichelt, a successful tailor known as the "Birdman," climbed the Eiffel Tower to test a revolutionary invention. He had designed a "parachute suit" intended to save the lives of early aviators in the event of an emergency. Despite warnings and a frozen landing zone on the Champ de Mars, Reichelt remained confident in his design. This rare historical footage captures the somber moment of his experiment, which ultimately failed to deploy at the low altitude of 57 meters (187 ft). |