[alfa] 100 years of powered flight

[alfacybersite <acs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

John says: "Thanks to all those who answered my query about the Wright
brothers flight date.  It seems
I will have time to write the article before the 17th December.

"BTW  It was a 28 hp engine used with fuel injection and not a 8 hp as I
incorrectly wrote."

********

Whilst not an aviation magazine by any means but pretty well noted for
their thorough research, Time Magazine (12/08/03) states the engine as
180 lb. (82 kg.), 12 h.p. gasoline engine. They also mention it had a
1.5 qt. (1.42 L.) fuel tank. Apparently the brothers weren't planing on
flying on to Paris should everything go well.

Not at all disparaging their achievements, but the Road & Track (12/03)
article by Dennis Simanaitis which discusses some rather interesting
legal wrangling over patients, among others, discusses the very early
(and very important) contributions of Glenn Curtiss. It all appears that
the Wright Bros. were in fact first with achieving "pilot-controllable
powered heavier-than-air flight", but not by a whole lot and not with
always the best technology (i.e., wing warping).

John Hertzman is quite emphatic regarding facts being correct in our
posts on the Alfa (whew!) Digest. Perhaps not how he would phrase it,
but I'm sure he dosen't want later historians to quote erroneous Alfa
Romeo facts which we've either perpetuated or simply made up.

How many engine dynos do you think existed in 1903? I'd guess, zip to
none. So every magazine, newspaper, etc. could pretty much quote any
figure they wanted and who could say, beyond a shadow of a doubt,
otherwise?

Personally my gut says 12 hp is about right - 8 hp to achieve what they
did is a bit small, and 28 hp sounds quite high for the era - but then
again, I'm purely speculating.

Biba
Irwindale CA USA

(Any of you locals know there was a very early airport just about where
Sears in Pasadena is today?)

While only two pages, the 12/08 article in Time has some extraordinary
drawings / diagrams / paintings of the Wright Brother's plane.
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