On April 16, 1867, Wilbur Wright was born in Millville, Indiana. Four years later, his brother, Orville, was born in Dayton, Ohio. The brothers were born to Milton and Susan Catharine Koerner Wright, and were two of seven children. Since their father was a bishop of the United Brethren Church, the family moved around a lot, causing the children to attend a variety of public schools. Wilbur was the athletic of the two and enjoyed gymnastics. When he was about 18, however, he was struck by a hockey stick in the face and was forced to undergo broad medical and dental reconstruction. After this accident, he seldom ventured far from home. Of the two brothers, Wilbur was also the more mature one. Orville was full of enthusiasm and spontaneity; he was also more of an eternal dreamer. Along with this, Orville had a passion for reading and tinkering. Wilbur finished high school, Orville did not; and neither boy went on to complete a college education. The brothers first became interested in flight after their father, Milton, brought a toy “whirlgig” home for them to play with in 1878. Soon, the boys were tinkering with the basic design and built their own models. Milton Wright was an editor of an evangelical journal called the Religious Telescope. After being influenced by their father, the brothers began a paper of their own called West Side News; and in 1892 they opened the Wright Cycle Shop in Dayton. Following Otto Lilienthal’s fatal glider crash in 1896, the two began considering the problems of flight. In addition to this, they studied contemporary aeronautical research, (that of Octave Chanute, a pioneer of the biplane). To extend their research further, the brothers observed flights of soaring birds and how buzzards control flight by twisting the wing tips. After seeing this, the two decided that the best method of maintaining balance was wing warping. Discovering this, they went to Kitty Hawk in 1902 with the last glider and solved the basic problems of control. The two had no formal training of being a scientist or engineer, but combined the instincts of both into making available an adequate source of power for a manned flight. The brothers’ understanding and ability as pilots set them apart from others who tried and failed to fly powered airplanes.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Biography: The Story of Two Inventors
On April 16, 1867, Wilbur Wright was born in Millville, Indiana. Four years later, his brother, Orville, was born in Dayton, Ohio. The brothers were born to Milton and Susan Catharine Koerner Wright, and were two of seven children. Since their father was a bishop of the United Brethren Church, the family moved around a lot, causing the children to attend a variety of public schools. Wilbur was the athletic of the two and enjoyed gymnastics. When he was about 18, however, he was struck by a hockey stick in the face and was forced to undergo broad medical and dental reconstruction. After this accident, he seldom ventured far from home. Of the two brothers, Wilbur was also the more mature one. Orville was full of enthusiasm and spontaneity; he was also more of an eternal dreamer. Along with this, Orville had a passion for reading and tinkering. Wilbur finished high school, Orville did not; and neither boy went on to complete a college education. The brothers first became interested in flight after their father, Milton, brought a toy “whirlgig” home for them to play with in 1878. Soon, the boys were tinkering with the basic design and built their own models. Milton Wright was an editor of an evangelical journal called the Religious Telescope. After being influenced by their father, the brothers began a paper of their own called West Side News; and in 1892 they opened the Wright Cycle Shop in Dayton. Following Otto Lilienthal’s fatal glider crash in 1896, the two began considering the problems of flight. In addition to this, they studied contemporary aeronautical research, (that of Octave Chanute, a pioneer of the biplane). To extend their research further, the brothers observed flights of soaring birds and how buzzards control flight by twisting the wing tips. After seeing this, the two decided that the best method of maintaining balance was wing warping. Discovering this, they went to Kitty Hawk in 1902 with the last glider and solved the basic problems of control. The two had no formal training of being a scientist or engineer, but combined the instincts of both into making available an adequate source of power for a manned flight. The brothers’ understanding and ability as pilots set them apart from others who tried and failed to fly powered airplanes.
1st Influence: The Inventors of Flight
The Wrights’ first successful flight was made on December 17, 1903. The flight was made by Orville, on the second ride, when he climbed about 10 feet into the air, landing 12 seconds later, covering a distance of 120 feet from his takeoff point. Three days before Orville’s success, Wilbur won the coin toss, determining who would take the first flight, and took the ride (in Kitty Hawk). Before taking this ride, he designed and built two blades that were mounted at the rear of the plane so the craft would be undisturbed by propeller turbulence. The blades spun in opposite directions to prevent pulling the plane to one side. Unfortunately, Wilbur rose too steeply, stalled, and plowed into the sand below.
2nd Influence: Orville: Never Finished High School, Yet Became One of Greatest Americans
As a young boy, Orville’s father, Milton (pictured to the left), moved the family around a lot because of his job as a bishop of the United Brethren Church. The children were forced to attend various public schools. Unlike his brother, Orville never completed high school. Even though Wilbur did complete high school, he never received a diploma. Neither boy expressed interest in attending college.
Fun Facts:
-On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright completed the first successful flight.-The brothers were the oldest two out of seven children.
-Wilbur completed high school, while Orville did not; however, neither received a diploma.
-The Wrights’ success was unknown for five years, until Octave Chanute, an American civil engineer, reported their achievements in an article in his March of 1904 issue of Popular Science Monthly.
-After Wilbur’s death on May 30, 1912, Orville worked alone and in 1913, won the Collier Trophy for a device to balance airplanes automatically.
-In 1929, Orville received the first Daniel Guggenheim Medal for his and Wilbur’s contributions to advancement of aeronautics.
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