Two Great Men in History
Orville and Wilbur Wright were great inventors. They were the first to accomplish the un-thinkable. Their amazing feats have made life very different for us today. Wilbur Wright was born on April 16, 1867 in Millville, Indiana. While his brother was born on August 19, 1871. Even though these two brothers were a mere 4 years apart they were inseparable. Nothing could come between them. Their personalities were made for them. Each had what the other didn’t. Orville had many ideas and was very enthusiastic while Wilbur was very studious. He had matured more in his judgments and he followed through with his work.
Wilbur intended to go to Yale and become a clergyman. One day though, he was playing hockey when he suffered a facial injury that made him stop his education. Over the years however, his education continued in his father’s library. These two intelligent boys helped there father with his newspaper. They began their own paper called the, West Side News. They grew bored of this and opened up their own shop called the Wright Cycle Shop in Dayton. They loved mechanical devices and at this time the bicycle was the latest and greatest invention. This is where they picked up the problem of flight. Otto Lilienthal was a man who had persuaded in this until he died. When he died this is when the Wright Brothers became very interested in flight. They began to educate themselves in the theory and state of the art of flying.
They began by gaining all of the knowledge of flight that was made before hand and went from there. They assumed that the reasons earlier flights did not work was because they needed the pilots to shift their bodies to control the plane. The brothers concluded that it would be easier to control the plane by moving its wings. With the data they had they began to experiment with double-winged kites and gliders. They did this so they could also gain experience. After consulting with the U.S. Weather Bureau they moved to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. In September of 1900 they set up camp there.
There first kite failed. It could not develop enough upward force. They had many fails and successes and they kept careful record of them. Data from previous tables was greatly inaccurate compared to their own data. In 1901 the brothers returned to Dayton where they built a wind tunnel. The first in the US at the time. They tested over two hundred models in the tunnel. While testing they discovered that screw propellers had been used on ships and that there was no reliable body of data and no theory to suggest how well they would be used on an airship. They worked this problem out mathematically for themselves. By this time the Wright Brothers had mastered the existing knowledge of aeronautical science and added onto it. With their findings they built their third glider and returned to Kitty Hawk in 1902. The Wright Brothers made over one thousand gliding flights and confirmed with their previous data that they were able to control motions of the glider. With a well-built air frame, they were now determined to apply power to their machine.
After many offerings no manufacture in this world would under-take the task of building such engine needed to power this machine to the specifications needed. The Wright Brothers were forced to make their own. Eventually, they made an engine that had four cylinders and a speed of twelve horsepower. Once, installed the entire plane weighed seven-hundred and fifty pounds. It was proven capable of traveling 31 miles per hour. They took the plane to Kitty Hawk in the fall of 1903 and on December 17 finished the first manned, powered flight.
Orville took the first flight and it lasted only 12 seconds. Over the 12 seconds the plane flew 120 feet. On the same day the plane was on its fourth flight, with Wilbur piloting, the plane stayed in the air for a full 59 seconds and went 852 feet. When a gust of wind came and severally damaged the aircraft. With their successes under their belts they traveled back to Dayton and were determined to build another machine. During the year of 1905, however the Wright Brothers abandoned their projects and concentrated on the development of aviation. A year later on May 22, 1906 they received a patent for their airplane.
In 1907 the government asked for an airplane that would meet their requirements. Out of the twenty-two bids only three were accepted. After that the Wright Brothers continued their experiments at Kitty Hawk. During the month of September in 1908, while Wilbur was in France to get foreigners to gain interest in their machine, Orville demonstrated their contract airplane. When the government accepted it the event was demolished by a crash a week later. Orville was injured while the passenger was killed. Wilbur’s trip however proved to be a success.
In 1909 these two brothers formed the American Wright Company. Wilbur took the lead in setting up and directing business. In May 30, 1912, Wilbur Wright died. He left Orville feeling depressed and alone. In 1915 Orville sold his rights to the firm and he gave up interst in manfactoring. He then turned to experimental work.
After retirement Orville lived in Dayton and continued to conduct experments on problems to him and none of them proved to me of major importance. Orville Wright died in Dayton on January 30th, 1948.
These two brothers were of great importance to the World. Their experiaments have benefited many. People can now travel to the other side of the world in a mere two days when it would have taken us months. No matter what people say these men will always have been of great importance to American History.
Orville and Wilbur Wright were great inventors. They were the first to accomplish the un-thinkable. Their amazing feats have made life very different for us today. Wilbur Wright was born on April 16, 1867 in Millville, Indiana. While his brother was born on August 19, 1871. Even though these two brothers were a mere 4 years apart they were inseparable. Nothing could come between them. Their personalities were made for them. Each had what the other didn’t. Orville had many ideas and was very enthusiastic while Wilbur was very studious. He had matured more in his judgments and he followed through with his work.
Wilbur intended to go to Yale and become a clergyman. One day though, he was playing hockey when he suffered a facial injury that made him stop his education. Over the years however, his education continued in his father’s library. These two intelligent boys helped there father with his newspaper. They began their own paper called the, West Side News. They grew bored of this and opened up their own shop called the Wright Cycle Shop in Dayton. They loved mechanical devices and at this time the bicycle was the latest and greatest invention. This is where they picked up the problem of flight. Otto Lilienthal was a man who had persuaded in this until he died. When he died this is when the Wright Brothers became very interested in flight. They began to educate themselves in the theory and state of the art of flying.
They began by gaining all of the knowledge of flight that was made before hand and went from there. They assumed that the reasons earlier flights did not work was because they needed the pilots to shift their bodies to control the plane. The brothers concluded that it would be easier to control the plane by moving its wings. With the data they had they began to experiment with double-winged kites and gliders. They did this so they could also gain experience. After consulting with the U.S. Weather Bureau they moved to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. In September of 1900 they set up camp there.
There first kite failed. It could not develop enough upward force. They had many fails and successes and they kept careful record of them. Data from previous tables was greatly inaccurate compared to their own data. In 1901 the brothers returned to Dayton where they built a wind tunnel. The first in the US at the time. They tested over two hundred models in the tunnel. While testing they discovered that screw propellers had been used on ships and that there was no reliable body of data and no theory to suggest how well they would be used on an airship. They worked this problem out mathematically for themselves. By this time the Wright Brothers had mastered the existing knowledge of aeronautical science and added onto it. With their findings they built their third glider and returned to Kitty Hawk in 1902. The Wright Brothers made over one thousand gliding flights and confirmed with their previous data that they were able to control motions of the glider. With a well-built air frame, they were now determined to apply power to their machine.
After many offerings no manufacture in this world would under-take the task of building such engine needed to power this machine to the specifications needed. The Wright Brothers were forced to make their own. Eventually, they made an engine that had four cylinders and a speed of twelve horsepower. Once, installed the entire plane weighed seven-hundred and fifty pounds. It was proven capable of traveling 31 miles per hour. They took the plane to Kitty Hawk in the fall of 1903 and on December 17 finished the first manned, powered flight.
Orville took the first flight and it lasted only 12 seconds. Over the 12 seconds the plane flew 120 feet. On the same day the plane was on its fourth flight, with Wilbur piloting, the plane stayed in the air for a full 59 seconds and went 852 feet. When a gust of wind came and severally damaged the aircraft. With their successes under their belts they traveled back to Dayton and were determined to build another machine. During the year of 1905, however the Wright Brothers abandoned their projects and concentrated on the development of aviation. A year later on May 22, 1906 they received a patent for their airplane.
In 1907 the government asked for an airplane that would meet their requirements. Out of the twenty-two bids only three were accepted. After that the Wright Brothers continued their experiments at Kitty Hawk. During the month of September in 1908, while Wilbur was in France to get foreigners to gain interest in their machine, Orville demonstrated their contract airplane. When the government accepted it the event was demolished by a crash a week later. Orville was injured while the passenger was killed. Wilbur’s trip however proved to be a success.
In 1909 these two brothers formed the American Wright Company. Wilbur took the lead in setting up and directing business. In May 30, 1912, Wilbur Wright died. He left Orville feeling depressed and alone. In 1915 Orville sold his rights to the firm and he gave up interst in manfactoring. He then turned to experimental work.
After retirement Orville lived in Dayton and continued to conduct experments on problems to him and none of them proved to me of major importance. Orville Wright died in Dayton on January 30th, 1948.
These two brothers were of great importance to the World. Their experiaments have benefited many. People can now travel to the other side of the world in a mere two days when it would have taken us months. No matter what people say these men will always have been of great importance to American History.