The Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were aerodynamic geniuses in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. They lived a life of extraordinary inventions and major success. These two boys were together almost all of their lives, working and inventing things as one. As their life went on, inventions were made that would change the rest of the world forever. Orville and Wilbur were heroes to pilots and aerodynamic studiers throughout the whole world back then, and still to this present day. Wilbur Wright was born on April 16, 1867 in New Castle, Indiana on a small farm.
His younger brother Orville was born on August 19, 1870 in Dayton, Ohio. Their parents were Milton and Susan Wright. In the Church of United Brethren in Christ. Wilbur was then the older brother by four years. The boys lived a very normal childhood, but always showed interest in taking apart and making things. Wilbur was a very excellent student, and even was going to attend Yale after high school. But, while playing hockey, another boy accidentally hit Wilbur in the head with a stick (“Bio. com”). This made Wilbur very depressed, and he did not finish high school. Orville, on the other hand, never really had much care for school.
He enrolled at Dayton Central High School, but dropped out during his senior year (“Bio. com”). He was more interested in extracurricular activities and hobbies. The boys started to split ways for a while. Following high school, Orville started up his own printing business. Wilbur stayed at home. He often read books, and cared for his ill mother (“Bio. com”). Wilbur then came back Orville later and became the editor of their new newspaper, called the West Side News (“The world book encyclopedia 2003”, 2003, p. 509). By the time Wilbur was 25 and Orville 21, they found a new profession of renting and selling bicycles.
They enjoyed this much, and then later started to manufacture their own bikes. The room above their shop was the location for the manufacturing of the bikes (“The world book encyclopedia 2003”, 2003, p. 509). The boys followed a pioneer glider named Otto Lilienthal. In 1896, Mr. Lilienthal died in a glider crash. They read more about him and started to become very interested in flying (“Bio. com”). They began to put a lot of time and interest in flying. Both boys studied hard, and by 1899, both brothers had learned all they could about aeronautics during that time. (“The world book encyclopedia 2003”, 2003, p. 09). They then began to start experimenting with planes and flying. In order to experiment, they needed a good place to fly the planes.
The brothers found this spot near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. This spot as a narrow strip of land called Kill Devil Hill. And in 1900, not long after finding the spot, they had made their first glider. This glider was sixteen feet wide, from wing to wing. It was also able to carry a person (“The world book encyclopedia 2003”, 2003, p. 509). Since the 1900 glider wasn’t very good, the boys made a new and improved glider in 1900. This glider was a lot larger than the previous one.
By setting the tips of each wing at different angles, they showed that this glider could control sideways balance (“The world book encyclopedia 2003”, 2003, p. 509). But to even made their inventions better, the brothers set up a wind tunnel in their shop. After over two hundred attempts with different types of wings, they finally made a good wing (“The world book encyclopedia 2003”, 2003, p. 509). This wing could withstand a reliable amount of air pressure with its curved surface. This new type of wing was aerodynamically correct, and was making it possible for the plane to fly.
Coming back to Kitty Hawk in 1902, they had an improved glider to test. Being a lot more aerodynamic than any of their previous planes, this one could fly a lot farther. In fact, on some tests, the glider traveled over 600 feet in one flight (“The world book encyclopedia 2003”, 2003, p. 509). After a lot of flying, Wilbur said,”More than anything else the sensation is one of perfect peace mingled with an excitement that strains every nerve to the utmost, if you can conceice of such a combination” (“About. com”). They ended up testing this new glider more than 1,000 times.
The brothers were starting to become a hero to flying. After testing the 1902 model for a while, the brothers went back to their home and created an even better plane. This plane was an actual gasoline powered flying machine. They ended up spending less than $1,000 on this project. Being 40. 5 feet long and weighing about 750 pounds, this was the biggest plane Wilbur and Orville had made yet. The men made their own lightweight gasoline engine to put on the plane (“The world book encyclopedia 2003”, 2003, p. 509). In September of 1903, the brothers went to Kitty Hawk to test their new plane.
There were bad storms and some minor defects that delayed the Wrights experiment to December 17th of 1903 (“The world book encyclopedia 2003”, 2003, p. 509). On that same day, they took their power-driven plane in the air to make it become the first free, controlled flight with a plane such as theirs. This was a huge accomplishment for Wilbur and Orville, and people all around began to start hearing about them. Orville said to the public once on the address of flying. He said,”If birds can glide for long periods of time, then… why can’t I? ” (“About. com”). The brothers were now very famous with their new plane.
They kept making batter planes, and in 1908 they made a contract with the U. S. department of War to have the first ever military plane (“The world book encyclopedia 2003”, 2003, p. 509). After many failed attempts in the U. S. , the brothers were getting much criticism. Orville said a remark to all of the hate. He said,”If we worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true really is true, then there would be little hope for advance” (“About. com”). .So, in 1908, Wilbur went to europe to show his skills. Wilbur began to have great success in Europe. He gave many flight to people, including journalists and statesmen (“Bio. om”). After Orville sold his first plane to the U. S. military, he joined Wilbur in europe.
Their sister, Katherine also joined them in Europe (“Bio. com”). The Wright’s were big celebrities in Europe, and they were invited to many royal parties. Wilbur once said,”Men become wise just as they become rich, more by what they saw than by what they receive” (“About. com”). They also sold many airplanes to the European people (“Bio. com”). But, they ended up heading back to Dayton in late 1909. Sadly, all good things must come to an end. Wilbur had an early death when he was only 45 on May 30, 1912.
He died to typhoid fever. Orville then became the president of their company, but did not care much about the company (“Bio. com”). He then sold the company in 1915. After Wilbur died, Orville took the rest of his life to serve for committees and boards related to aerunatics (“Bio. com”). When his sister, Katherine, got married 1926, Orville cut off communications with her. Both brothers were strongly against getting married (“Bio. com”). And when Katherine died in 1929, he was forced to go to her funeral. Orville then later died to a second heart attack on January 30, 1948.
A lot of people know Wilbur and Orville at the inventors of the first airplane, but they were also known for something else. That was their clothing fashion preferences. They often wore derby hats, a three piece suit, and a very clean cut nature. Even while working in the shop, they would wear their fashionable clothes (“The Wright Brothers Home Comments”). In honor of their style, there is a clothing company made after them that includes clothings with a some vintage style mixed with modern colors and shapes. Both Wilbur and Orville were now heroes throughout the whole world.
Everybody looked up to them as the inventors of flying. To be exact, they were the inventors of the world’s first successful plane (“Bio. com”). Even now in the world, people are praising them for what they did and accomplished throughout their lives. The brothers are considered the “fathers of modern aviation” (“Bio. com”). Even though much criticism was put upon the brothers, they did not stop. Wilbur and Orville kept making better inventions, and soon were back on top. That is something we see in heroes nowadays as well. That is why Wilbur and Orville were heroes then and heroes today.
