Smithsonian kinda, sorta admits to a lie

Dennis O'Connor wrote:

Jim, I'm too lazy to actually do the research, but I strongly question the
90 hp at/near the same weight as the Wright's engine... My recomember is
that Langly's engine, while a true engineering marvel for the time, was a
radial engine developing a bit under 60 horsepower at ~240 pounds ~4
pounds per horsepower... this was astounding for 1903

From the latest Sport Aviation: "Charles M. Manly designed the five-cylinder
water-cooled radial in December 1901 for the abysmal Langley Aerodrome, and
this technological marvel deserved a fate better than being installed in that
worthless contraption. This advanced engine weighed 124 pounds and produced
52 hp at 950 rpm." They don't say if there was a cooling system or whether the
weight figure includes cooling water or not.

By comparison, the Wright engine put out 12 hp and weighed 180 pounds dry. With
no cooling system, it could run for only a few minutes before the water in the
jackets boiled dry.

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."

Jake Brodsky wrote:

The Wright brothers also invented a highly effective wind tunnel for
testing different wing types and shapes.

Actually, they did not. A fellow in North Carolina developed one and sent the
Wrights a description and sketches. They *did* add some enhancements.

In effect, they took a
highly rigorous, scientific approach to achieving flight.

That they did.

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."

On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 01:06:37 GMT, Larry Dighera
wrote:

Unfortunately, Langley's was a steam engine! Imagine stoking the
furnace of your Cessna. :-)

Langley's models 5 &6 flew on steam. The Great Aerodrome
had the 5-cylinder gasoline engine as described in another post.

Marty

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...

Jake Brodsky wrote:

The Wright brothers also invented a highly effective wind tunnel for
testing different wing types and shapes.

Actually, they did not. A fellow in North Carolina developed one and sent
the
Wrights a description and sketches. They *did* add some enhancements.

As noted, the Wright brothers didn't invent the wind tunnel, but the
enhancement they did invent was the clever balance which measured lift and
drag.

Eric

Eric Miller wrote:

As noted, the Wright brothers didn't invent the wind tunnel, but the
enhancement they did invent was the clever balance which measured lift and
drag.

Again. The credit properly goes to someone else. An article describing this was
published years ago in the World War I Aeroplanes magazine. Period photos of
the NC test gear and communication with the Wrights was presented.

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."