They went down in history
They went down in history as the first human beings to really fly. But how many people remember Dr. Samuel Pierpont Langley?
In 1896 the Wright Brothers, and Langley were engaged in a fierce competition.
Who would be first to conquer the skies?
Langley, a distinguished scholar and secretary of the Smithsonian institute was the clear favorite. He had already achieved impressive unmanned flight over the Potomac River with his steam powered Aerodrome No. 6.
Based on this success, Langley was able to raise $100,000 in funding, and set out to develop an extraordinary radial-cylinder internal combustion engine that would produce an astonishing 52 horsepower! In his estimation, capable of powering an aerodrome large enough for manned flight.
The Wright Brothers, by contrast were convinced that the secret to success lay in their ability to control the aircraft, once in flight. They therefore spent their time experimenting with gliders over the forgiving sands of Kitty Hawk.
For several seasons they worked on manipulating the wings, nose, and tail of the aircraft, so as to allow the operator to actively control it.
Wilbur, who most often piloted, suffered a multitude of minor cuts and bruises.
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