They Go Up Diddly Up Up North Carolina, USA 1903
The Wright Flyer did not just usher in a new age of air travel just because brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright could get the contraption off the ground. What made the world’s first airplane revolutionary was that the pilot could control it.
The Flyer was the result of four years of careful study, with the Wright brothers pioneering many of the building blocks of modern aeronautic engineering, such as analysing wind tunnel data. The brothers also had to invent a whole new way of steering this flying machine, but over time they managed to get a grip of these controls, extending the flight time from 12 seconds on its premiere flight to 59 seconds by their fourth attempt.
Flying with wings
The Wright brothers had spent three years testing kites and gliders to perfect their plane. The wings have a span of 12.3 metres (40 feet four inches).
Propelling forward
A pair of propellers at the rear are made from long, twisted pieces of wood. Moving at high speed, they generate thrust, pushing the Flyer forward.
The Flyer’s heart
A custom-made, gasoline-powered engine provides the power needed to turn the propellers – previous (failed) inventors had used steam.
Ride lying down
This story is from the Issue 69 edition of All About History.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 69 edition of All About History.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Greatest Battles - BATTLE OF SHIROYAMA
KAGOSHIMA, JAPAN, 1-24 SEPTEMBER 1877
WOMEN IN COMPUTING
From Ada Lovelace to the codebreakers of WWII, John Croucher discusses the role of women in computing
"IT'S IMPORTANT THAT BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE OWN OUR OWN HISTORY"
Blindness and blind people have usually been framed in history as inspirational or tragic, but now Selina Mills wants to question that narrative
Bess of Hardwick ELIZABETH'S NEMESIS
Who was the ambitious Tudor noblewoman who proved to be a thorn in Gloriana’s side?
THE GOLDEN AGE OF SMUGGLING
Discover the age when the coasts of Britain were awash with illegal goods
What's in a name?
20 strangest royal nicknames from history (and where they came from)
GODS OF EGYPT
Discover how ancient Egyptians explained the mysteries of the world
OPPENHEIMER
Christopher Nolan's latest history-themed blockbuster is an artistic triumph
JAPAN HAD REMAINED ISOLATIONIST?
While Japan keeps its distance, overall supremacy of the region could be up for grabs
BATTLE OF SHIPKA PASS
SHIPKA, BULGARIA, JULY 1877-JANUARY 1878