Wright Brothers May Not Have Made First Powered Flight

Strong evidence for a 1901 flight by Gustave Whitehead in Connecticut

The ongoing battle between historians over who was really first in flight was rekindled last week.

New research advances the theory that a German immigrant in Connecticut is responsible for the first powered and controlled flight, rather than the Wright brothers in North Carolina.

But historians at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum are saying not so fast.

You can now order a "No. 21" breakfast at Chip's Family Restaurant in Connecticut. It's named after the airplane model that Gustave Whitehead allegedly flew for half a mile at an altitude of 50 feet on Aug. 14, 1901. That's more than two years before Orville and Wilbur Wright's famous run in Kitty Hawk. And the No. 21, an omelet with hamburger filling alongside German apple pancakes — in honor of Whitehead's heritage — is just the beginning.

Comments

[Professional Target]

Discovery requires you have to make the find meaningful. The reason we say Columbus discovered America and not the Amerinds, Chinese or Vikings is they didn't take the information back with them.

[SIV]

The Chinese never came to America. The Japs (or rather the aboriginal people of Japan)most likely did but it was a one-way trip.

[XM]

Ach du lieber!

[SIV]

The Wrights had the first controlled, powered,heavier than air, human flight. Emphasis on "controlled". Whitehead may well have "flown" but the evidence is scant and their is none to even speculate he had control in 3 dimensions.