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The Creation of a Mastermind
Wilbur was born in Indiana -
The Creation of the Second
Orville is born -
Primary Source 1
Wilbur's report card from Richmond High School. He was unable to complete his courses and graduate. This shows that he did not apply himself towards education in school, as he went on to make some great achievements. Although in his report card as shown he excels in mathematics and science. This document is important to the roaring 20's because if he had to not dropped out of school to pursue his goals and dreams, the first flight may have been delayed or not have happened during this era -
The Inspiration
Wilbur and Orville's father brought them home a toy helicopter. The boys became fascinated with flying things. They begin flying kites after this. -
Primary Source 2
Orville's report card from Central High School. He was as bright as his brother but he could be mischievous in the classroom and did not always apply himself fully. However Orville did go on to complete his education and prove to show he was the one to keep the group together with his brother. This is also important to the roaring 20's because Orville had the brains to help his brother and himself complete a goal, which in turn changed the world -
Primary Source 3
James Howard Means, editor of the influential journal, The Aeronautical Annual, published an article in 1896 called Wheeling and Flying, in which he suggested a link between bicycles and flight. This was influential in that the wright brothers owned a bike shop, and years of applying the mechanics of a bike helped them develop a plane. Their studies here along with this journal entry helped create the plane. -
Primary Source 4
The Wright brothers first sketch of what they wanted in an aircraft. It was important for them to first come up with an idea on what it should look like before they made it. This basic sketch was similar to their final product, the first flying airplane. The era of plane travel was all based on this sketch -
The Beginning of Flight
The Wright brothers fly their first manned glider at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to test their control system. It does not produce enough lift to make more than a handful of flights. Become a Wright Brother: Engineer your own! -
Second Trials
The Wright brothers fly their first manned glider at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to test their control system. It does not produce enough lift to make more than a handful of flights. Do you have what it takes? -
The Glider
The Wright brothers fly their first manned glider at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to test their control system. It does not produce enough lift to make more than a handful of flights. -
Improvisation
The Wright brothers make the first controlled, sustained powered flight at Kitty Hawk. Samuel Langley of the Smithsonian Institution also tries to fly a manned version of his Aerodrome and fails. Thus proving the Wright brothers were one of Americas only hopes back then to create a travelling method in the air. This was the FIRST "SUCCESFUL" FLYING MACHINE. all others flew for a bit of time.
The Aerial Age Begins -
Refinement
The Wrights begin to refine their powered airplane, making test flights at Huffman Prairie near Dayton, Ohio -
Primary Source 5
This wingtip is the only surviving piece from any of the three Wright gliders. The brothers viewed the gliders simply as research tools. Because the aircraft were so beat up from flight testing and repair, Wilbur and Orville simply left them behind at Kitty Hawk when they departed. This shows the intense amount of trial and error and how much damage was done to complete the brothers motive of creating an aircraft. Through perserverence, they left a legacy in the roaring 20's for the future -
Educating?
The Wright brothers develop the first practical airplane and demonstrate it before a small audience. They offer their invention to the U.S. Army, but the Army is not interested. -
The Patent
The U.S. Patent Office grants a patent to the Wright Brothers on their airplane control system. With this, the wright brothers were able to go back and tell everyone "I told you so" when society was caught up with air travel. -
The Realization
The Wright Brothers procure contracts for the sale of airplanes from French investors and the U.S. Army, provided they can demonstrate their invention. -
Further Improvisation: 2 Seater
The Wright brothers demonstrate a two-passenger airplane in Europe and America. Orville crashes during a demonstration flight and is badly injured. His passenger, Lt. Thomas Selfridge, becomes the first person to die in an airplane crash. This event brings the dangers of this new invention to society. -
The "New" Beginning
The Wrights demonstrate a new airplane and the U.S. Army buys its first military aircraft. The Wrights begin to manufacture airplanes and teach pilots. After this the development of Airplanes begin. -
Primary Source 6
The Wright brothers published several articles in major periodicals detailing their aeronautical experiments. The most significant, entitled "The Wright Brothers' Aëroplane," appeared in Century Magazine. This is where the wright brothers wanted to show the whole world their findings. This publication inspired the world to pursue this topical subject at hand -
Primary Source 7
License-built Wright aircraft were produced in France and Germany. This creatively designed catalog is from the German Wright company, Flugmaschine-Wright Gesellschaft. This symbolizes the fact that the wright brothers went nationally, and wanted to maximize their exposure. Their idea of a plane went on to become cargo planes, messanger planes, and eventually passenger planes. -
The End?
After Wilbur dies. Orville Wright sells the Wright Company and his patents to a group of investors in New York. The Smithsonian publishes its 1914 Annual Report claiming that Langley's Aerodrome was the first manned aircraft "capable of flight," citing Curtiss' flights in the modified Aerodrome. This begins a bitter feud with Orville Wright. This gives the power of all their work to society, and this really triggers the creations of other plans. -
Starting back up
After a long run of "sadness" towards the individual brother, he started back up again, and President Woodrow Wilson appoints Orville to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (basically NASA) active participant for the rest of his life. The first monument to the Wrights' accomplishments is unveiled in Le Mans, France. This is important due to the fact that he is able to teach his findings clearer to an audience with proffesional help. This helps later in the Space Race. -
Accomplished
Orville and Katharine Cristen create a flying boat named Wilbur Wright. The aeroboat belongs to the Wright Aeronautical Corporation, the fourth reincarnation of the original Wright Company. A New York Times poll lists Orville as one of the 12 greatest living Americans. This serves as a great accomplishment towards Orville and he is motivated to help America in the "Invention Race" -
Promotion
Orville serves on the board of the Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics, an organization that promotes advances in aviation safety, navigation, and instrumentation. -
The End
President Calvin Coolidge signs an act to construct a monument to the Wright brothers on the Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. This signifies the end of these brothers careers, and how much they havee to be honored by two presidents.
To Conclude -
Primary Source 8
To symbolically link the first airplane flight with the first human exploration of another celestial body, a sample of wood and fabric from the Wright Flyer was carried to the surface of the Moon by the crew of Apollo 11 in 1969. This shows that the rag-tag Orville brothers that did not care much about education were an influence on the help of the Space Race. Because of the brothers, aircraft everywhere has been slowly modified and has been close to perfected. -
