Alan Minyard wrote in message . ..
On 2 Jul 2003 09:45:20 -0700, (robert arndt) wrote:

"Keith Willshaw" wrote in message ...
"robert arndt" wrote in message
om...
The model aircraft that led to the aeroplane:

http://www.amars.hpg.ig.com.br/plantas/planoph.html

Rob

This was only one of the progenitors and scarcely the most advanced.

George Cayley laid a lot of the groundwork which was taken up by
pioneers such as Henson, Stringfellow and Lillienthal

Henson was experimenting with gliders and lightweight steam engines
in the 1840's and published his patent (no. 9478) in 1842. This described
a machine with bamboo spars and diagonal wire bracing. The surface of the
planes was to amount to 4,500 square feet, and the tail, triangular in form
was to be 1,500 square feet. The driving power was to be supplied by a
steam engine of 25 to 30 horse-power, driving two six-bladed propellers.

John Stringfellow flew his first steam powered flying machine in 1848 and
his triplane of 1868
is on display in the Early Flight Gallery of the National Air & Space
Museum,
Washington, DC

Otto Lilienthal's work is of course seminal and laid much of the foundations
of what is noiwadays referred to as aerodynamics. In particular his
analysis
of different wing constructions and aspect ratio, wing shape and profile,
based on his experiments were invaluable to those who followed.

Keith

The Planophore (1871) flew farther and longer than the Wright Flyer
and was more stable. Langley, Chanute, and the Wrights all
acknowledged Penaud's accomplishments.
Got something else to say? (Of course he does... he ALWAYS does)

Rob

You simply cannot get over the fact that the first powered, heavier
than air piloted aircraft was built an flown by Americans and not your
Germanic super men, can you?

Al Minyard

Buying into that NASM crap again Al? The Gustave Weisskopf GW No.21
flew in 1901- two years before the Wrights and it was witnessed by
hundreds of people and reported in the local newspaper. But because
the scientific reporter did not like taking photos (preferring to
sketch instead) and the fact that Herr Weisskopf was not a US
citizen... he has been deliberately and conveniently dismissed. It
probably helped that the Wrights pressured the US to declare their
aircraft the first in order to recieve their permission to display
their aircraft in the US and the fact that Weisskopf tried to
concentrate on early aviation motors- his personal business that
ultimately failed which led him back to Germany and his death.
The Wrights have stated that the GW.21 "could have never flown" due to
its construction. But they were proven wrong by two different
replicas, one flown here in the US by a historic society and the
second in Germany with a Luftwaffe pilot at the controls.
BTW, who cares about the Wrights? The Germans had Lilienthal's gliders
and the Zeppelins.

Rob