This Day in History
Today, we honor 120 years since the Wright brothers’ historic 1903 flight.
The Wright Flyer marked a pivotal moment in aviation with its brief yet monumental 12-second journey covering 120 feet.
Although Orville and Wilbur Wright were not experimental aircraft’s first builders or flyers, they emerged as pioneers.
Their visionary breakthroughs in propulsion and full three-axis aircraft control paved the way for the dawn of powered flight.
Joe Biden claimed to have been there on that fateful day, helping the brothers achieve their dream — of course he did.
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Identify the Military Aircraft
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Identify the Tank
I’ve always enjoyed touring their bicycle shop.
https://www.thehenryford.org/explore/blog/museum-icons-wright-cycle-shop/
Identify the Aircraft:
PZL P.11a
Identify the Tank:
T-35
One of my Mom’s uncles had seen them fly when he was a small boy. He was in tears on 19 JUL 69. Said he never thought he’d see men land on the Moon.
Some historians make the Wrights out to be lucky amateurs.
They built the second wind tunnel in the US and tested over 200 wind shapes in one year.
Seems like a lot of historians like to denigrate the accomplishments of men like the Wrights or Charlie Taylor (their mechanic and engine builder). Funny how “luck” seems to favor the prepared. Must be just a coincidence. I can’t believe they got off the ground with only a 9 HP engine. Wonder what aircraft a century from now will look like, well except for the B 52s and KC 135s, they will look about the same.
And the C 130s.
+1 definitely “and the 130s”.
As a former C-130 pilot, some version will still be here in 2054 on the 100th anniversary of the first flight of the YC-130A.
:)
:)
Serial number 3 is still flying. It is an Air Guard C-130 named the Spirit of Savanah.
There seems to be a big push to make people think that only large organizations(like the govt) are capable of accomplishing anything. The day of the individual is over – I think this comment dates back to around the WWI era.
Musk and some others, including Gates, were able to build personal empires.
That big push dates back to ancient Egypt and the pyramids.
“denigrate the accomplishments of men like the Wrights or Charlie Taylor”
Mebbe so. But ain’t no one gonna denigrate peanut butter or the RYG traffic light. THOSE were works of genius.
They (the Wrights) were also very unhappy with existing engines, and basically designed and developed their very own.
One of the things that enabled them to do what they did was going to Kill Devil Hill year after year and experimenting with kites, starting small and going up to full sized, from ground controlled (by ropes) to manned controlled.
People think they just came up with this stuff full blown, not realizing that the Wrights worked for years and years before taking that one minimal flight.
Why December? Because the winds coming offshore we.re consistently strong.
Their patents lead to others finding creative ways to design airplanes. As an example, ailerons vs wing warping. They were shrewd businessmen to go along with their inventor vision.
The grandkids in KC really, really wanted grandma to be with them during Christmas. So, son bought tickets to fly her there and back home again via Envoy Air/American Eagle. Can anyone tell me how many extra prayers are needed for that group?
Yep, supposed to be 12 HP, but it got hot and dropped to 9 HP. Both my grandmothers remembered the news, and both lived long enough to see men land on the moon.
My Grandmother arrived later from Switzerland but lived in that era and saw men walk on the Moon. From horses and buggies to the Moon in a lifetime. Amazing.
Can’t remember where I read this but it seems the .gov and .mil were backing another individual with support and big bucks. The newspapers followed his every move , while the Wrights struggled in obscurity. Most likely why they were successful .
The .gov and .mil were backing Lilienthal. Along with the Smithsonian museum. His failings were not paying attention to wind tunnel tests and scaling up to full sized, like the Wrights did, and relying on heavy motors.
The Wrights also did wind tunnel tests on propellors, which Lilienthal didn’t do.
The Smithsonian and the rest were backing Langley. His attempt ended up in the river after a catapult launch. The Wrights were systematic and persistent, testing and breaking things not unlike Space X. Their journals are a fascinating read. Lillienthal was flying weight shift hang-gliders, his aerodynamics were ok but he untimately didn’t have the control required and died in a gust/stall accident.
Dang it. Got the “L-man” worng. Stupid easy fact to check.
Thanks, Old Surfer.
Ahem, RHSM, the DLC needs an Air Wing.
Just saying.
If it has a rotor, you buy it and I’ll fly it.
PS – including Russian crap.
Totally on.
In May of 1911, after completing the Wright Brothers flight school, Lt. Hap Arnold received Military Aviator Certificate Number 2.
There was an old gentleman still flying around the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas when my late Father earned his pilot’s license in the late 1940’s. His nickname was Pappy, and he had a license numbered in the high single digits, although I couldn’t tell you whether that was a civilian or military number. I’m told that most likely Orville or Wilbur signed the original. Stupid little kid me never thought to assimilate his name or pay any attention to him, just another old guy hanging around the airport. In my defense, I never claimed to be very smart.