Test your engineering skills against Fred’s problems in our games, or watch his ideas unfold before your eyes using our augmented reality.
- Find out more about the Serious Games
- Download and explore our Augmented Reality App
- Download and explore our Oculus Go Virtual Reality App
Serious Games
Take up Lanchester’s challenges and have fun at the same time with our serious games. Exploring automobile engineering, aeronautics, propeller technology and gearing.

Auto Engineer
Build your own car in Fred’s workshop and test out different engines, suspension and components to complete the challenges

Flight
Select the best wings, propellers and components for your plane and then pilot it through the rings to reach the finish

Aerodone
Welcome to the drawing board. Try and figure how different wing types change a plane’s flight path

Gears
Use different gears and ratios to get the right amount of power to all the components in the gear box
Augmented Reality
Let Lanchester’s inventions and achievements spring to life with our augmented reality. Download the app, and the AR triggers to view how the collection comes alive
Our Augmented Reality (AR) app is available for both Android and iOS devices. Search Google Play or the App Store for “Lanchester Interactive Archive AR”, or click on the app download links at the bottom of the page.
There are 12 unique AR pieces for you to try. AR works by showing your device’s camera to a specific picture, and then virtual content springs out to bring it to life!
- Step 1 – Download the AR app and install on your device
- Step 2 – Pick some of the AR images available below in the “AR Download” section. Download the images and bring them up full size on a screen (e.g. laptop or desktop monitor), or print them out on A4 paper
- Step 3 – Start up the app, after it finishes loading you should see a camera feed on your device
- Step 4 – Point your device’s camera at the image you’ve got on your screen or print-out. Try to make sure the image is fairly close, flat and parallel to the camera to get the best view.
- Step 5 – See the AR content come to life!
AR image download

Lanchester’s First Car – the 1895 5hp Stanhope Phaeton

On the steps of Crystal Palace 1904 – demonstrating the gearing

Eleven World Records set at Brooklands in 1924

Highlights from the timeline of the life of Frederick Lanchester

The first petrol-electric hybrid car, 1927

1907 patent for upswept wings

The 40hp armoured car, assembled in Coventry late 1920s

The Lanchester Strategy for Management (adapted from the military strategy)

The first all-British motor boat 1894

Lanchester 40 hp 6 cylinder 7 seater landaulet, 1927

Fred with his gliding machine, early 1890s

The Lanchester Ten 1933 – Lanchester’s designs and inventions
Privacy Policy.
The Lanchester Interactive Archive Augmented Reality mobile app makes use of your device’s camera. The camera is only used for the purposes of recognising the position and orientation of the printable ‘AR markers’ that are compatible with the application. This recognition process fully takes place on the device and this application does not transmit camera data to any external source, online service or first/third parties.
The Lanchester Interactive Archive Augmented Reality mobile application also asks for storage permissions in order to store user preferences/settings for the application only. The Lanchester Interactive Archive Augmented Reality application does not access any of your personal files or information on your device.
The Lanchester Augmented Reality and Lanchester VR app only collect anonymous usage data and device specifications. No personally identifiable information is collected or stored for any individual end user.
By using the Lanchester Interactive Archive Augmented Reality or Lanchester VR applications, you consent to this privacy policy. If you do not agree to this privacy policy or wish to opt out, please uninstall the application from your device.