Also, few new technologies were greeted with such enthusiasm by the general public and by such skepticism by the scientific community. It is enough to recall the comments of a noted New York newspaper after the crash of Professor Langley’s “Aerodrome” into the Potomac River. In its editorial of October 9th, 1903, the newspaper sharply criticized Professor Langley and the Smithsonian Institution for wasting taxpayer money on the experiment. It concluded by asserting that it will take between one and ten million years of research before a flying machine will be developed. Less than two months later, the Wright brothers flew at Kitty Hawk. In mid- December of 1903, a few wire services hesitantly carried the news of the flights. Another major newspaper commented as follows “…When a reputable scientist can prove with irrefutable logic that man cannot fly, why should the public be fooled by silly stories about two bicycle repairmen who haven’t even been to college?”
This story is from the March - April 2021 edition of Flight Journal.
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This story is from the March - April 2021 edition of Flight Journal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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Scourge of the Allied Fighters
IT HAD TO BE THE MOST HELPLESS FEELING in the world: you're at 25,000 feet over Europe knowing that your primary function is to drop bombs-or flying escort for the bombers while being a slow-moving target for some of the world's finest shooters. However, you have John Browning's marvelous .50 caliber invention to give some degree of protection. Unfortunately, you're absolutely helpless against flak. Piloting and gunnery skills play no role in a game where sheer chance makes life and death decisions. For that reason, the Krupp 88 mm Flak 18/36/37 AA cannon could be considered WW II's ultimate stealth fighter. You never saw it coming.
ZERO MYTH, MYSTERY, AND FACT
A test pilot compares the A6M5 Zero to U.S. fighters
Fw 190 STURMBÖCKE
The Luftwaffe's \"Battering Rams\" against the USAAF heavy bombers
American BEAUTY
\"Forgotten Fifteenth\" top-scoring Mustang ace John J. Voll
BANSHEE WAIL!
Flying Skulls over Burma
KILLER CORSAIR
Albert Wells, Death Rattlers Ace
BACKSTREET BRAWLER
A young man, his Hurricane and the Battle of Britain
Still Flying After All These Years
One of the oldest airworthy J-3 Cubs
NOORDUYN NORSEMAN
Canada's rugged, fabric-covered workhorse
A good landing is one you can walk away from
NO, THIS IS NOT A SCENE FROM A MOVIE where the hero staggers away from a \"good landing\" on Mindoro, Philippine Islands, after being shot down by a Japanese Zero.