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How We Invented the Airplane: An Illustrated History
It was the realization of a dream as old as mankind. On December 17, 1903, two bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio, achieved the first sustained, powered, heavier-than-air flight in a machine of their own design and construction. This book offers a concise and fascinating history of that remarkable accomplishment, much of it in the words of the inventors themselves. The heart of the book is Orville Wright's personal account, written in connection with an obscure lawsuit filed against the U.S. government. Long forgotten until a typewritten copy was discovered among the Wright papers at the Library of Congress, it is the best, most detailed account of how the Wright brothers succeeded in creating the machine that lifted man into the sky on wings.
The brothers first became interested in the problem of flight after reading about the glider experiments of Otto Lilienthal, a 19th-century German engineer. Experimenting first with kites and gliders, they developed a revolutionary wing design that helped solve the crucial problem of maintaining lateral equilibrium. Later, they added a movable rudder that eliminated the tendency of the machine to go into a tailspin. In addition to these critical innovations, the two inventors developed new accurate tables of "life" pressures and an original theory of air propellers. Slowly, methodically, with patience, perseverance, ingenuity, and inspired invention, they solved the problems that had defeated so many experimenters before them.
Finally, on a gusty winter day in North Carolina, the Wright brothers flew their little motor-driven biplane off the sand at Kitty Hawk (actually Kill Devil Hills) and into the pages of history. Although the first flight lasted only about 12 seconds and covered barely 120 feet, it was the first time a machine carrying a man and driven by a motor had lifted itself from the ground in controlled free flight. A new era had begun and the world would never be the same again.
The achievement of the Wright brothers is placed in historical context in the absorbing and informative introduction to this volume, written by Fred C. Kelly, author of two standard works on the Wrights. Mr. Kelly has also written an illuminating commentary, including fascinating anecdotes about the Wrights, their personalities and later aspects of their career. As an extra bonus, a lively popular account of the Wrights' success, written in 1908 by both brothers, has been included in an Appendix. Enhanced by 76 photographs, including many rare views of the Wrights and their flying machines, this book offers a thrilling reading experience for anyone interested in aviation, its pioneers, or the mechanics of flights.
The brothers first became interested in the problem of flight after reading about the glider experiments of Otto Lilienthal, a 19th-century German engineer. Experimenting first with kites and gliders, they developed a revolutionary wing design that helped solve the crucial problem of maintaining lateral equilibrium. Later, they added a movable rudder that eliminated the tendency of the machine to go into a tailspin. In addition to these critical innovations, the two inventors developed new accurate tables of "life" pressures and an original theory of air propellers. Slowly, methodically, with patience, perseverance, ingenuity, and inspired invention, they solved the problems that had defeated so many experimenters before them.
Finally, on a gusty winter day in North Carolina, the Wright brothers flew their little motor-driven biplane off the sand at Kitty Hawk (actually Kill Devil Hills) and into the pages of history. Although the first flight lasted only about 12 seconds and covered barely 120 feet, it was the first time a machine carrying a man and driven by a motor had lifted itself from the ground in controlled free flight. A new era had begun and the world would never be the same again.
The achievement of the Wright brothers is placed in historical context in the absorbing and informative introduction to this volume, written by Fred C. Kelly, author of two standard works on the Wrights. Mr. Kelly has also written an illuminating commentary, including fascinating anecdotes about the Wrights, their personalities and later aspects of their career. As an extra bonus, a lively popular account of the Wrights' success, written in 1908 by both brothers, has been included in an Appendix. Enhanced by 76 photographs, including many rare views of the Wrights and their flying machines, this book offers a thrilling reading experience for anyone interested in aviation, its pioneers, or the mechanics of flights.
96 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1988
14 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Orville Wright
28 books9 followersThe Wright brothers, Orville (August 19, 1871 – January 30, 1948) and Wilbur (April 16, 1867 – May 30, 1912), were two American brothers, inventors, and aviation pioneers who were credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903. From 1905 to 1907, the brothers developed their flying machine into the first practical fixed-wing aircraft. Although not the first to build and fly experimental aircraft, the Wright brothers were the first to invent aircraft controls that made fixed-wing powered flight possible.
The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. This method became standard and remains standard on fixed-wing aircraft of all kinds. From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on developing a reliable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem". This approach differed significantly from other experimenters of the time who put more emphasis on developing powerful engines. Using a small homebuilt wind tunnel, the Wrights also collected more accurate data than any before, enabling them to design and build wings and propellers that were more efficient than any before. Their first U.S. patent, 821,393, did not claim invention of a flying machine, but rather, the invention of a system of aerodynamic control that manipulated a flying machine's surfaces.
They gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in their shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery. Their work with bicycles in particular influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice. From 1900 until their first powered flights in late 1903, they conducted extensive glider tests that also developed their skills as pilots. Their bicycle shop employee Charlie Taylor became an important part of the team, building their first airplane engine in close collaboration with the brothers.
The Wright brothers' status as inventors of the airplane has been subject to counter-claims by various parties. Much controversy persists over the many competing claims of early aviators.
Orville made his last flight as a pilot in 1918 in a 1911 Model B. He retired from business and became an elder statesman of aviation, serving on various official boards and committees, including the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), predecessor agency to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce, predecessor to the Aerospace Industries Association.
Orville Wright served NACA for 28 years. In 1930, he received the first Daniel Guggenheim Medal established in 1928 by the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics. In 1936, he was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
On April 19, 1944, the second production Lockheed Constellation flew from Burbank, California, to Washington, D.C. in 6 hours and 57 minutes (2300 mi – 330.9 mph). On the return trip, the airliner stopped at Wright Field to give Orville Wright his last airplane flight, more than 40 years after his historic first flight. He may even have briefly handled the controls. He commented that the wingspan of the Constellation was longer than the distance of his first flight. Orville's last major project was supervising the reclamation and preservation of the 1905 Wright Flyer III, which historians describe as the first practical airplane.
Orville died on January 30, 1948, after his second heart attack, having lived from the horse-and-buggy age to the dawn of supersonic flight. Both brothers are buried at the family plot at Woodland Cemetery, Dayton, Ohio.
The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. This method became standard and remains standard on fixed-wing aircraft of all kinds. From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on developing a reliable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem". This approach differed significantly from other experimenters of the time who put more emphasis on developing powerful engines. Using a small homebuilt wind tunnel, the Wrights also collected more accurate data than any before, enabling them to design and build wings and propellers that were more efficient than any before. Their first U.S. patent, 821,393, did not claim invention of a flying machine, but rather, the invention of a system of aerodynamic control that manipulated a flying machine's surfaces.
They gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in their shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery. Their work with bicycles in particular influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice. From 1900 until their first powered flights in late 1903, they conducted extensive glider tests that also developed their skills as pilots. Their bicycle shop employee Charlie Taylor became an important part of the team, building their first airplane engine in close collaboration with the brothers.
The Wright brothers' status as inventors of the airplane has been subject to counter-claims by various parties. Much controversy persists over the many competing claims of early aviators.
Orville made his last flight as a pilot in 1918 in a 1911 Model B. He retired from business and became an elder statesman of aviation, serving on various official boards and committees, including the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), predecessor agency to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce, predecessor to the Aerospace Industries Association.
Orville Wright served NACA for 28 years. In 1930, he received the first Daniel Guggenheim Medal established in 1928 by the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics. In 1936, he was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
On April 19, 1944, the second production Lockheed Constellation flew from Burbank, California, to Washington, D.C. in 6 hours and 57 minutes (2300 mi – 330.9 mph). On the return trip, the airliner stopped at Wright Field to give Orville Wright his last airplane flight, more than 40 years after his historic first flight. He may even have briefly handled the controls. He commented that the wingspan of the Constellation was longer than the distance of his first flight. Orville's last major project was supervising the reclamation and preservation of the 1905 Wright Flyer III, which historians describe as the first practical airplane.
Orville died on January 30, 1948, after his second heart attack, having lived from the horse-and-buggy age to the dawn of supersonic flight. Both brothers are buried at the family plot at Woodland Cemetery, Dayton, Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 5, 2019
This was interesting — it was essentially a long technical specification but included some personal tidbits and history as well as a nice selection of photos.
Definitely not for everyone but as we are preparing to visit Kitty Hawk, this had a particular appeal.
Definitely not for everyone but as we are preparing to visit Kitty Hawk, this had a particular appeal.
November 3, 2025
I have read a couple of books about Orville and Wilbur Wright, the pioneer aviation brothers but this one by Orville is quite different for it explains exactly how the two of them went about developing and achieving their, what at the time perhaps seemed unlikely, aim of flying.
The account, originally written long ago in conjunction with an obscure lawsuit filed against the US Government in January 1920, was long forgotten until a typescript copy was discovered among the Wright papers at the University of Washington. Thank goodness a man named John Montgomery, who tried to show that he had a patent claim that was infringed by airplanes bought by the US Government, raised the issue for it led to Orville's best account of how he and his brother succeeded in creating the machine that lifted man into the skies on wings.
It makes compelling reading from the moment the two brothers, originally bicycle mechanics of the Wright Cycle Company at 1127 West Third Street, Dayton, began to take a greater interest in aviation by carrying out their wind-tunnel experiments in 1901. Their interest had been sparked in 1896 when they read in the newspapers of Otto Lilienthal's gliding flights that were being held off the top of a small hill in Germany. From there they began researching the subject, which was in its infancy, and reading any publication on the subject that they could obtain.
They then began to experiment with paper boxes until in July 1899 they produced their first model based on the box designs. Orville wrote, 'We felt that the model had demonstrated the efficiency of our system of control' an then they went on 'after a while' to experiment with 'a man-carrying machine embodying the principal of lateral control used in the kite model already flown'.
From there Orville explains in great detail the technical details and difficulties that they had encountered and overcome before, 'on a gusty winter day ' in North Carolina they flew their little motor-driven biplane off the sand' at Kitty Hawk, or more correctly Kill Devil Hills, and into the pages of history.
It was not all plain sailing, or more correctly plain flying. for they encountered any number of mishaps both during and after trials. Because once they had flown they regularly had manned flights up and down the country and even on the continent. Indeed in September 1908 at Fort Meyer, Virginia, Orville (with Wilbur pursuing sales in Germany) took off with a 26-year-old passenger, Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge but after a few minute in the air a flaw in a propeller caused a chain reaction that sent the 'plane into a dive from which Orville could not recover. A crash landing followed, Orville was severely injured and poor Selfridge was dead, the first airplane passenger death in aviation history.
After Orville has related all the development, Fred Kelly follows up with 'After Kitty Hawk: A Brief Résumé' in which further adaptations took place, negotiations with the US Government were carried out, a Wright Brothers flying school was opened near Montgomery, Alabama, and their prototypes were displayed in various locations, including one of his early machines being lent to the Science Museum in London. And there is a copy of an article written jointly by the brothers entitled 'The Wright Brothers' Aeroplane' that appeared in 'The Century' magazine in 1908.
Fortunately Orville was particularly keen on photography and the book carries 76 superb black and white photographs of the whole journey.
The account, originally written long ago in conjunction with an obscure lawsuit filed against the US Government in January 1920, was long forgotten until a typescript copy was discovered among the Wright papers at the University of Washington. Thank goodness a man named John Montgomery, who tried to show that he had a patent claim that was infringed by airplanes bought by the US Government, raised the issue for it led to Orville's best account of how he and his brother succeeded in creating the machine that lifted man into the skies on wings.
It makes compelling reading from the moment the two brothers, originally bicycle mechanics of the Wright Cycle Company at 1127 West Third Street, Dayton, began to take a greater interest in aviation by carrying out their wind-tunnel experiments in 1901. Their interest had been sparked in 1896 when they read in the newspapers of Otto Lilienthal's gliding flights that were being held off the top of a small hill in Germany. From there they began researching the subject, which was in its infancy, and reading any publication on the subject that they could obtain.
They then began to experiment with paper boxes until in July 1899 they produced their first model based on the box designs. Orville wrote, 'We felt that the model had demonstrated the efficiency of our system of control' an then they went on 'after a while' to experiment with 'a man-carrying machine embodying the principal of lateral control used in the kite model already flown'.
From there Orville explains in great detail the technical details and difficulties that they had encountered and overcome before, 'on a gusty winter day ' in North Carolina they flew their little motor-driven biplane off the sand' at Kitty Hawk, or more correctly Kill Devil Hills, and into the pages of history.
It was not all plain sailing, or more correctly plain flying. for they encountered any number of mishaps both during and after trials. Because once they had flown they regularly had manned flights up and down the country and even on the continent. Indeed in September 1908 at Fort Meyer, Virginia, Orville (with Wilbur pursuing sales in Germany) took off with a 26-year-old passenger, Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge but after a few minute in the air a flaw in a propeller caused a chain reaction that sent the 'plane into a dive from which Orville could not recover. A crash landing followed, Orville was severely injured and poor Selfridge was dead, the first airplane passenger death in aviation history.
After Orville has related all the development, Fred Kelly follows up with 'After Kitty Hawk: A Brief Résumé' in which further adaptations took place, negotiations with the US Government were carried out, a Wright Brothers flying school was opened near Montgomery, Alabama, and their prototypes were displayed in various locations, including one of his early machines being lent to the Science Museum in London. And there is a copy of an article written jointly by the brothers entitled 'The Wright Brothers' Aeroplane' that appeared in 'The Century' magazine in 1908.
Fortunately Orville was particularly keen on photography and the book carries 76 superb black and white photographs of the whole journey.
March 10, 2018
You won't find many books about how to build an airplane by one of the guys who invented powered flight. This is the only one I know of. Having read "The Bishop's Boys" by Tom Crouch (https://www.amazon.com/Bishops-Boys-W...) and "The Wright Brothers" by David McCullough (https://www.amazon.com/Wright-Brother...), both of which were superb narratives, I found Orville Wright's story of research intriguing. And it had more pictures of the original aircraft than the other two, also.
June 19, 2025
A tremendous range of writing has been produced about the Wrights, owing to the significance of what they achieved. This small piece is substantially a firsthand narrative and includes many photographs well worth scrutiny despite the squinting needed. The writing here is rather dry but it’s at the level of the intelligent lay reader who is expected to be conversant with this corner of aviation history.
August 4, 2023
First published in this form in 1953, but drawing on the text of Orville Wright's 'How We Invented the Airplane' which he wrote as his defence in a 1920 lawsuit. The supporting photos are astonishing, whilst the text is a truly historic document. Jaw-dropping for any aviation enthusiast.
March 14, 2017
I started my reading journey through the history of aviation with Orville Wright's first hand account of how he and Wilbur invented the airplane. It is an amazingly clear and concise telling of how the airplane came to be invented. A great read for both pilots and ground pounders with lots of drawings and pics that I had to see again after reading David McCullough's book.
July 26, 2013
A Dream Come True!
A full quarter century before the historic first flight of a powered, controlled heavier-than-air aircraft, a minister named Milton Wright presented two young boys with a model Penaud "helicoptere." As Wilbur and Orville Wright observed, "A toy so delicate lasted only a short time in the hands of small boys, but its memory was abiding."
This wonderful book chronicles the careers of Orville and Wilbur Wright, drawing upon the writings of the brothers themselves and Fred C. Kelly, their authorized biographer and confidant for more than three decades.
What makes the story of the Wright brothers so compelling is their deliberate, patient perserverance to discover how to make the dream of flight reality.
A full quarter century before the historic first flight of a powered, controlled heavier-than-air aircraft, a minister named Milton Wright presented two young boys with a model Penaud "helicoptere." As Wilbur and Orville Wright observed, "A toy so delicate lasted only a short time in the hands of small boys, but its memory was abiding."
This wonderful book chronicles the careers of Orville and Wilbur Wright, drawing upon the writings of the brothers themselves and Fred C. Kelly, their authorized biographer and confidant for more than three decades.
What makes the story of the Wright brothers so compelling is their deliberate, patient perserverance to discover how to make the dream of flight reality.
June 19, 2011
It is a technical read with lots of information. I found the principles and practices they used interesting. Though flying has developed the things they discovered are still relevant. The Wright brother’s realised things about flying that are still being thought today. I am currently learning to fly and fund it fascinating. The way they figured out how to turn is still in used. Though now it is only a part of the wing not the whole thing.
Having the pictures was great too. They allowed you to see the conditions that they worked in. From the back of the bicycle shop to the shed and tents of Kitty Hawk and the fields and beaches they flow on.
Having the pictures was great too. They allowed you to see the conditions that they worked in. From the back of the bicycle shop to the shed and tents of Kitty Hawk and the fields and beaches they flow on.
May 6, 2015
I read this book as a High School Senior, in 1984, and was so impressed with the scientific method used by the Wrights, that I went into the sciences. This is simply the best book about the Wrights, and the planes they invented, because it is written in their own words. It is truly a rare occasion when a pioneer visionary writes so clearly about the work they pioneered, and never before has such a book been written, on such a revolutionary subject. The work the Wrights undertook has touched the lives of everyone on the planet, but had it not been for there particular set of skills, it may have been decades before the world had manned heavier than air flight.
March 24, 2017
Perhaps not the most riveting read in the world due to it being necessarily technical in places, and rather more like a cobbled together bundle of scientific papers than a coherent book as such. Even so, the first half, which concerns the flights, the people involved, and some technical elements is interesting enough to warrant reading a book as short and important as this.
February 5, 2017
A wonderfully readable summary by Orville and many great photographs!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews