Mystery man tries to take to the skies in his homemade flying machine

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

This remarkable footage of a man attempting to fly in a homemade machine was found in the ITV Wales archive by researchers at the National Library of Wales.

But few details remain about who the man is, or when it was filmed.

The black and white film shows the man building a large winged contraption apparently held together by ropes.

He is then strapped into the craft, before attempting to take to the air from the top of a hill.

The man runs down the hill as he attempts to take flight

But the attempt is unsuccessful, with the aspiring pilot stumbling as he runs down the hill.

The man appears unharmed after the attempt
The man's supporters gather round following the attempt

Do you know anything about the footage? You can contact the team below:

  • Telephone: +44 (0)1970 632 828

  • Email: nssaw@llgc.org.uk

  • Writing to The National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales, The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion. SY23 3BU