Abstract: A flying printer of reduced size and weight comprises a continuously-rotating ratchet wheel for driving a printing hammer through an interposed trigger lever and a print drum rotating continuously at a speed in a fixed ratio to that of said wheel. A striking face of a tooth on the ratchet-wheel lies in the same plane as the stroke-receiving face of the trigger lever, and said plane passes through the axis of rotation of said ratchet wheel. Further, the trigger lever is pivotally supported on the arm of the printing hammer, and the region of the arm in which the support of said lever is to be disposed is narrowly prescribed for the most effective transfer of energy from said ratchet wheel to said printing hammer.A paper-feed mechanism is operatively connected with said printing mechanism, the feed of said paper being intermittent while the drum is designed to rotate continuously.