Igor Sikorsky accompanied his father to Germany and through conversations with his father, became interested in natural sciences. After returning home, Sikorsky began to experiment with model flying machines, and by age 12, he had made a small rubber band-powered helicopter. Sikorsky began studying at the Saint Petersburg Maritime Cadet Corps, in 1903, at the age of 14. In 1906, he determined that his future lay in engineering, so he resigned from the academy, despite his satisfactory standing, and left the Russian Empire to study in Paris. He returned to the Russian Empire in 1907, enrolling at the Mechanical College of the
Sikorsky S-3 early in December. The S-3 made its last flight on December 13, 1910 when at an altitude of 90 feet the engines distributor shifted to a retarded position and lost power. The aircraft landed hard on a frozen pond, broke through the ice and sank causing serious damage. The S-3 was salvaged and some parts including the engine were used in the construction of the S-4. Sikorsky S-3 The Sikorsky S-3 was an early Russian single seat biplane design by Igor Sikorsky. Work on the machine started in July 1910 and was completed in late November. The S-3 was a