The Wright Brothers

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The Wright Brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright were pioneers, skilled craftsman, and engineers not only in aviation but in many other trades as well. “They loved to tinker and experiment with mechanical things and it characterized the Wrights through out their lives. Each of the brothers had a deeply ingrained inquisitive streak that was nurtured in a home that was encouraged.” (Moolman, 1980, p. 107) They had a good family upbringing, but moved frequently. The Wright brothers paved the way for aviation to take off with their thoughts, ideas, and inventions. On April 16, 1867 Wilbur Wright was born on a small farm near Millville, Indiana. He was the third son of Milton and Susan Wright. Milton was a clergyman, teacher, and farmer. He became editor of a weekly religious telescope and moved his family to Dayton, Ohio where the magazine was published and bought a house at 7 Hawthorn Street where their fourth son Orville Wright was born on August 19, 1871. Milton Wright became a bishop in 1877 and moved his family to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Milton traveled frequently on church business, and while he was away his wife Susan ran the home. She was very handy; she could fix most anything and make things, a very resourceful woman. The same year that the Wrights moved to Cedar Rapids Milton returned home from one of his journeys with a gift for his two youngest sons. The gift was a toy helicopter made of bamboo, cork, and paper. “The twin propellers on the helicopter were activated by a twisted rubber band, a type of propulsion popularized by a young Frenchman named Alphonse Penaud.” (Howard, 1987,1998, p. 18) The gift that Wilbur and Orville’s father gave to them was not only a small toy helicopter, it was a spark of many ideas to come in their... ... middle of paper ... ...others got a United States contract for one plane, and with the hope of selling overseas they resumed flying. Wilbur toured Europe and demonstrated their plane. In 1909 the Wright brothers founded the Wright Company, which acquired their patent and infringement cases. Wilbur was president, Orville vice president. References Heppenheimer, T. (2001). A Brief History Of Flight: From Balloons to Mach 3 and Beyond. Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Howard, F. (1987,1998). Wilbur And Orville A Biography Of The Wright Brothers. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, Inc. Millbrooke, A. (2006). Wright Brothers (1896-1914). In Aviation History, pp. 2-1-2-36. Englewood, CO: Jeppesen. Moolman, V. (1980). The Road To Kitty Hawk. Chicago, IL: Time Life Books Inc. Rinard, J. E. (2001). The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Book of Flight. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books (U.S.) Inc.

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