Janes Aircraft - Whitehead as the Father of Flight

[Cherrybomber13]

The people of Bridgeport, CT are proud today as well as the staff and members of the Connecticut Air & Space Center.
This morning Jane's All the World's Aircraft acknowledged Gustave Whitehead as the Father of flight, having flown on Aug 14 1901, 2 years before the Wright Brothers. His #21 Flyer which is featured at our museum, turns out was called the "Condor" .
Our museum is the home to Andy Kosch's 1986 reproduction of the #21, which flew at the Sikorsky Memorial Airport.

Check out Researched John Browns new findings, at http://www.gustave-whitehead.com/

Here is Janes news release. http://www.janes.com/products/janes/defence-security-report.aspx?ID=1065976994
"Upon completion of his research, John sent his findings - including evidence of the existence of a photo of Whitehead in powered flight - to aviation history's highest authority, "Jane's All the World's Aircraft". After an examination of the material, Jane's concurred with John's findings, culminating on March 8, 2013, in the official recognition of Gustave Whitehead as the first person in history to have performed a powered, sustained, controlled flight on August 14, 1901."

[SaxMan]

Wow. It's not very often that we have the opportunity to rewrite history.

[Cherrybomber13]

Or rewright a wrong...

Personally, once we have the Whitehead engine running and we can see the props spin on their own accord, it will make more people realize he knew what he was doing. Yes, we have a local tech school that is working on engine, this is being handled by Andy Kosch, the builder of the replica in 86 and CASC Board Member. We are discussing building a new craft to fly again. The '86 version now sits in the museum.

[RandolphB]

Wow! Thanks for making my night...I loved the website and all its details!

[Kyleb]

I wrote the definitive report on this in 7th or 8th grade - about 35 years ago.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Awesome news Drew!
Now to get "First in Flight" off North Carolina's plates and onto Connecticut's!!

[Dan K]

Or rewright a wrong...

REWRIGHT... I see what you did there!



The bros do not seem pleased.

[Rajay]

Awesome news Drew!
Now to get "First in Flight" off North Carolina's plates and onto Connecticut's!!

Don't just pick on North Carolina!

Since it seems to be the official joke of the day, how about getting the US Congress to "wright" another previous wrong by officially un-recognizing Ohio as the supposed "birthplace of aviation" as well? (And getting "Birthplace of Aviation" off of their license plates too!) At the very least, that was a slight or insult to Lilenthal and the Montgolfier brothers.*

*By the same token, Gustave Whitehead would not be the actual "father of flight" now so much as the apparent new "father of powered flight" - I expect that all glider pilots and hot air balloon pilots would vehemently disagree with you if you were to suggest that they don't "fly" too.

Just sayin'...

[Jerry O'Neill]

I'm not picking on NC. In my life, I have spent more time in NC than any other state except CT! I was just being funny. I also don't believe Whitehead had the control issues down compared to the Wright's.

[Warbird Kid]

Rajay,

The fact is, is that the Wrights did considerably more with aviation and went farther with it than Whitehead. There's no question about that. The Wrights will always be remembered. What's trying to be accomplished here, is giving Whitehead a fair paragraph in the chapter of early aviation history. Their has been considerable evidence put forth to show Whitehead was indeed capable of flying and believed by a growing number of people to have flown in 1901. The arguments put forth against his claims are weak to say the least. Jerry's joke about removing the famed motto.from NC's license plate is tongue and cheek obviously. That will probably never change. What I worry about is that some educated people will probably never even give Whitehead a consideration due to there education, upbringing, or fanatical devotion to the Wrights.

[jmkendall]

That was a very well written article.

And one has to agree, the first is the first; period.

It was kinda sad to see how the Wrights dominated and waged economic warfare to keep control of aviation. Wow! $25k for a license to fly! That's close to $600,000 in today's dollars!

Growing up in the 60s one got the idea that the Wrights were the only people in the world that were investigating heavier than air flight. And that after their flight; others began their research and flight activities.

Now I find that it was a whole field of research by dozens, if not hundreds, of people whose work was synthized ( or even stolen) to get the world to the point of powered flight.

Remarkable.

[Mark Allen M]

Sorry to say but the whole idea of 'who was the first to fly' at times can certainly be as convoluted as anything else that requires the label of 'first' to have done it. For instance try to visit Brazil and bring up this conversation. (or where this conversation is drifting) From the article: http://www.airshowfan.com/first-airplane.htm ... Who designed and flew the first practical airplane? "Most Brazilian people express hostility at the idea that the Wright brothers were the first to fly; Most Brazilians are certain Alberto Santos Dumont was first and he is vehemently known to the Brazilians as "The father of Aviation" ... This controversy is, in reality, only a debate over how to define "first practical airplane". Is it more important that a "practical airplane" be able to fly controllably for long distances and at altitudes higher than most trees and buildings, or that it be able to take off unassisted from a flat surface without the benefit of a rail or ground acceleration device?

This debate is as old as the states of Ohio, CT and NC combined, and we haven't even discussed European Countries. I'm quite satisfied with the claim that Gustave Whitehead be associated as one of the "Fathers of Flight". He certainly earned it, as did all the rest of the aviation innovators in those early days. We owe a tremendous amount to them all.

[shrike]

All kinda academic, unless I can request a plastic portrait of Gus instead of Orville and Wilbur from the FAA

[Mark Allen M]

All kinda academic, unless I can request a plastic portrait of Gus instead of Orville and Wilbur from the FAA

Kinky!!!!

[Cherrybomber13]

Built in Connecticut


Powered In Connecticut


Flown First in Connecticut (and Germany)

(replica in flight)

WarbirdKid as Whitehead from a recent TV Special we did with the Travel Channel