Wright Brothers, Wrong Story: How Wilbur Wright Solved the Problem of Manned Flight

This book challenges the myth that the Wright brothers were two halves of the same apple, arguing that Wilbur Wright was the primary designer of the first successful airplane. It explores their early years of trial and error at Kitty Hawk and Orville Wright's fight with the Smithsonian Institute. Through original archives and family letters, it reveals the differences in the brothers' personalities and abilities, highlighting Wilbur's obsessive zeal to test out his flying ideas.

Format: Hardback
Length: 332 pages
Publication date: 04 February 2019
Publisher: Prometheus Books

This book is a groundbreaking exploration of the myth surrounding the Wright brothers. Contrary to popular belief, they were not two halves of the same apple but rather two distinct individuals with unique roles in the creation of the first flying machine. How could two misanthropic brothers who never left home, were high-school dropouts, and made a living as bicycle mechanics have figured out the secret of manned flight? This new history of the Wright brothers monumental accomplishment focuses on their early years of trial and error at Kitty Hawk (1900-1903) and Orville Wright's epic fight with the Smithsonian Institute and Glenn Curtis.

William Hazelgrove makes a compelling case that it was Wilbur Wright who designed the first successful airplane, not Orville. He demonstrates that while Orville's role was significant, he generally followed his brother's lead and assisted with the mechanical details to bring Wilbur's vision to life. By combing through original archives and family letters, Hazelgrove reveals the differences in the brothers' personalities and abilities. He examines how the Wright brothers myth was born when Wilbur Wright died early and left his brother to write their history with personal friend John Kelly.

The author notes the peculiar inwardness of their family life, business, and family problems, bouts of depression, serious illnesses, and yet, rising above it all, was Wilbur's obsessive zeal to test out his flying ideas. When he found Kitty Hawk, this desolate location on North Carolina's Outer Banks became his laboratory. By carefully studying bird flight and the Rubik's Cube of control, Wilbur cracked the secret of aerodynamics and achieved liftoff on December 17, 1903.

Hazelgrove's richly researched and well-told tale of the Wright brothers' landmark achievement, illustrated with rare historical photos, captures the essence of their remarkable journey. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in aviation, history, or the human spirit of innovation and determination.

Weight: 540g
Dimension: 162 x 236 x 36 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781633884588