PBS Presents LEONARDO'S DREAM MACHINES, Two-Part Special Premiering October 3

PBS Presents LEONARDO'S DREAM MACHINES, Two-Part Special Premiering October 3

--Experts from around the world build two of Leonardo da Vinci's machines--

ATLANTA, Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- LEONARDO'S DREAM MACHINES premieres on PBS Monday, October 3, 2005, 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. ET (check local listings). This two-part special follows the world's leading experts as they attempt for the first time to build two of Leonardo da Vinci's dream machines - a giant crossbow and the flying machine - 500 years after he first committed his ideas to paper. The experts even attempt to follow Leonardo's exact specifications and scale. Were Leonardo's ideas the flights of fancy of a gifted artist or revolutionary designs hundreds of years ahead of their time?

Leonardo da Vinci was one the greatest thinkers and designers of all time, but working with Filippo Brunelleschi on the great dome of Florence Cathedral taught him that to be a great artist you also had to be a great engineer. However, in putting his dream machines to the test, the two modern-day teams find that over the years Leonardo's work has been lost, vandalized, or possibly deliberately destroyed. And, in not deviating from the 500-year-old designs, the teams must overcome their inclination to draw on 20th century techniques.

LEONARDO'S DREAM MACHINES first follows the giant crossbow construction team as they tackle what would have been the 'super gun' of its day, launching huge cannon balls with deadly accuracy for his patron the Duke of Milan. The crossbow team is lead by Dave Hepworth and Steve Roberts, with designer Ivan Williams. Paolo Galluzzi, director of the Science Museum in Florence and a world authority on building Leonardo's machines, advises on the best ways to match practicality with authenticity by choosing only materials that would have been available at that time.

Could man have flown 400 years before the Wright Brothers' historic flight? Steve Roberts and Martin Kimm, who have been challenged to build the flying machine, have spent the last 20 years recreating historic aviation machines. However, the designs pre-date even the earliest theories of aeronautics and they are not even sure it will leave the ground. The team will have to persevere if they want to create an authentic glider.

Meanwhile, three-time World Hang Gliding Champion Judy Leden has more at stake than just her reputation as a pilot. She has to be convinced that the glider is safe enough to risk her life pursuing Leonardo's dream of flight.

As the test days approach for Leonardo's dream machines, problems mount for the two construction teams, but everything adds to their appreciation of Leonardo's genius.

Underwriters: Public Television Viewers and PBS. Producer: Jessica Taylor.

Format: CC Stereo.

CONTACT: Melanie Pope, Renault Communications

404/216-6440; mtpope@mindspring.com

Source: PBS

CONTACT: Melanie Pope of Renault Communications, +1-404-216-6440, mtpope@mindspring.com, for PBS

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos available for download on PBS PressRoom: www.pbs.org/pressroom LEONARDO'S DREAM MACHINES will be available from PBS Home Video on October 4, 2005.

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