This seems to be a kite-weapon assembled using silk, leather and canvas, possibly for dispensing foul smoke over an enemy camp. Götz Quarg notes that according to Johannes Dlugosz' History of Poland, the Battle of Liegnitz was won by the Mongols using similar weaponry, brightly painted smoke dispensers full of chemicals that produced noxious gasses when shaken. This is what the Latin says, roughly: The flying dragon's head may be made of leather, it's center of canvas, but the tail of silk, colored differently. The head is located at the end of a three-part rotating body, assembled from wood, with a blower (zona - a drive unit?) in the middle. The head should be judged against the wind, and if it is so, let two lift his head, and a third party will bear the blower. Follow him [the dragon] on horseback, while the motion of its line of flight is directed upward, downward, rightward and leftward. The head was painted with red paint and the middle in a moon-silver color, with different [colors] at the end. Staatsbibliothek Gottigen: Cod. Ms. philos. 63 (In the Public Domain). Although manuscripts are not copyrighted, this image is provided for reference purposes only; if you intend to reproduce this item please courteously contact the holding library.