In the Second World War, among all the equipment used by the warring parties, those combat units whose operation was based on the use of the direct reaction principle were of particular interest.
This principle was first studied experimentally in ancient times. Apparently, Heron of Alexandria became that first explorer. It is known that one hundred twenty years before the beginning of our era, he created the first jet turbine. It was a hollow ball with side hollow "processes" that were bent at an angle of 90 °. Steam was supplied inside the ball. When, through the side tubes (“processes”), the steam came out, the ball began to rotate. However, the fact of the presence of a driving force, established by Heron, was not found to be of practical use at that time.
The first information on the use of direct reaction for the implementation of missile flight dates back to the 10th century. However, evidence of the launch of missiles in China in the 13th century during the Mongol invasion is considered more reliable.
The idea of using a direct reaction soon penetrated into Europe. However, there she did not receive development. To a greater extent, this was due to the fact that in the 14th century a handgun (gun) was created, which turned out to be more effective than a Chinese rocket.
Interested in missile business in Russia. In 1680, the first missile manufacturing workshop was created in Moscow. Peter I subsequently took an active part in its activities.
In parallel with the development of rocketry, jet propulsion began to be studied. Information on some developments in this area dates back to the 17th century. The jet movement was actively studied by scientists. It is described by the law of conservation of momentum. Reactive motion is the movement of a body caused by the separation of a part from it at some speed. Work has survived to this day in this area of Newton, Huygens, Bernoulli, Zhukovsky and others.
In Russia, by the end of the 19th century, the idea for the first time to use jet propulsion in aircraft construction arose. The project of this idea was created by the famous people's volunteer Kibalchich in 1881. Subsequently, Tsiolkovsky in his writings developed this project, proposing in 1903 to use jet propulsion in interplanetary communication. This scientific field was further developed in the works of Goddard, Obert, and Loren. In these experiments, these and other figures explored different uses of the direct reaction, mainly applicable to jet engines.
But it should be noted that the collected theoretical material of the first decade of the 20th century was not enough to put it into practice during the First World War. At that time, the principle of jet propulsion was used primarily in lighting and signal missiles.
The period between the First and Second World Wars is characterized by active and intense work in the development of jet technology. As a result of this work, new weapons began to be used everywhere during hostilities.
Today, jet technology is primarily of military importance and is developing in two main directions: as a direct reaction engine in an aircraft structure and as a reactive weapon in artillery. Along with this, signaling and lighting facilities as a form of this technique have become widespread.
There is also a reactive movement in nature. So, for example, squid, octopus, jellyfish, cuttlefish tend to move due to the ejected water stream. In the plant world, one can also observe the principle of jet propulsion. So, for example, the plant "mad cucumber" grows in the southern states . From a light touch of a ripened fruit that looks like a cucumber, it bounces off the stem. In this case, liquid with seeds flies out of the fetus through the hole formed. "Cucumber" is flying in the opposite direction. It should be noted that the speed of the outgoing fluid reaches ten meters per second, and the fetus can fly off twelve meters.