Adam Savage Examines the Wright Brothers 1909 Military Flyer

[@tested]

More about this aircraft here: airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/1909-wright-military-flyer/nasm_A19120001000

[@mikeuk666]

Great work as usual team

[@Bad_Wolf_Media]

I may or may not have had a moment of near-tears, right at the end of this video when Adam was looking over the engine parts on the table. Looking at parts from the Wright military flyer an Apollo capsule behind him....and knowing that there's only about 60 years of separation between those two things. My God, what humanity can do when we aren't too busy hating one another.

[@BlueMax717]

Charles E. Taylor.. The first neglected AMT who set the tone for the rest of us. The man who made the Wright brothers who they are.

[@minibiscosbrigade6087]

You should look a the b-25/26

[@codebus]

They didn't invent powered flight. What they invented that was genius was the control system.

[@JmsNmnn]

Having a Wright Flyer AND the Apollo 11 CM in the same shot is an incredible thing. Truly shows the gargantuan progress that was made in aviation over only 60 years

[@bobholtzmann]

There are several episodes of A&E's First Flights that cover early aviation. Neil Armstrong would have loved to host that show with the Wright Flier next to the capsule he flew in!

[@thewaytruthandlife]

yeah thought the same thing.....

[@malfattio2894]

WW2 was a big part of that. The war began with biplanes and ended with jets.

[@robopam]

And both nurtured to reality by American culture.

[@1pcfred]

The Nazis really did accomplish quite a bit once they were able to secure US financial backing.

[@f.d.6667]

I was thinking exactly the same: *The Brothers built this when my grandmother was 7 years old* ... and in 1976-ish we boarded a PanAm Boeing to Berlin so she could show me the city she grew up in (she lived until the age of 102)...

[@davidswanger]

Not to mention went to the moon 7 years prior. Your grandmother saw the entire history of flight.

[@fractuss]

My grandma was 6.

[@GhostCodeRG]

Imagine living from 1902-2004, the entire history of the begining of modern civilization, you went from the newspaper as your only source for news to the freaking internet...you went from having i would assume the early box phones (assuming they were available) to cell phones, just the tech that changed is astounding...its wild stuff

[@homehackshowtos]

The wright brothers were my wife’s great grandma’s cousins. When I was a kid I remember thinking how cool would it be to be related to the wright brothers. Little did I know I would be related to them through marriage…

[@AdamsBrew78]

@@fractuss my grandmother was 1 when yours was 12. Died just shy of 100. Quite an epoch of world-changing events and tech advances they lived through.

[@robg3545]

I love that they have to squeeze past Apollo 11 to get to look at the engine of a Wright Flyer.

[@tested]

Right?

[@phillyphakename1255]

@@tested I hate it when the Apollo 11 Command Module gets in my way when I am working in the workshop. :)

[@trespire]

I think the Wright Flyer is more facinating and unique. I learned so many new details in this short presentation.

[@brussels13207]

I do volunteer work restoring WW1 aircraft and engines. You would be amazed at how sophisticated these planes and engines were. One of my favourite items: German LVG, the pilot and observer had electrically heated flight suits, ran off of magnetos. Plus, to eliminate the static interference from engine, the whole plane was wired to create a Faraday cage!

[@chasebh89]

adam geeking out on service interval records is exactly why i love him

[@lancelotkillz]

It hurt me to find out he and Jaime aren't friends

[@CatsMeowPaw]

It's wonderful that these very important pieces of history are preserved and respected. I hope people 300 years from now can enjoy looking at one of the first aircraft.

[@eskimo330]

Well said. Couldn’t agree more

[@josephfutymed8346]

New Zealander Richard Pearse first aircraft is On display in NZ

[@timothychadwick8910]

It's amazing that one of the brothers was alive to see the jet age

[@AdamsBrew78]

I wonder if he ever got to fly in a P51 Mustang. That would have been more thrilling than anything, considering it’s a more direct successor to his propeller driven invention.

[@games-dan]

@@AdamsBrew78 I think the most modern aircraft Orville rode in (and was even very briefly given control of) was a four-engine propeller-driven Lockheed C-69 in 1944, and he noted that the wingspan of the aircraft at 123 feet was longer than his first flight. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_C-69_Constellation

[@tentandoumcover]

Santos Dumont was the creator of the motorized airplane. Alberto Santos Dumont was a Brazilian aeronaut, sportsman, self-taught and inventor. Dumont is widely recognized as the father of aviation, having performed the first approved flight in history

[@oig40203]

@@tentandoumcover Dumont flew in 1906. By then the Wrights had stayed in the air for 30 minutes in the Wright Flyer 3. There are about 60 photographs in their personal collection of plates showing them at Huffman Prairie 1904-1905. Dumont is not even in the conversation anymore as being first in flight.

[@TheGearhead222]

What's even more amazing is that the Wright Brothers wrenched on bicycles for a living. Simply amazing and brilliant men, like many inventors of that era. John in Texas

[@tentandoumcover]

Santos Dumont was the creator of the motorized airplane. Alberto Santos Dumont was a Brazilian aeronaut, sportsman, self-taught and inventor. Dumont is widely recognized as the father of aviation, having performed the first approved flight in history

[@no1DdC]

​@@tentandoumcover You're leaving out that this flight was in a powered airship, not a heavier than air aircraft. His first heavier than air aircraft was built in 1906, three years after the Wright brothers and it flew just 60 meters at a time when the Wright Brothers were already able to fly their Flyer III until it ran out of fuel - 38 kilometers the year prior. It was also certainly not the first "approved flight" in history, whatever that is supposed to mean. That honor goes to the Montgolfier brothers, who launched their first manned balloon in front of a large crowd in the middle of Paris in 1783. Without government approval and support, this would not have happened. Santos-Dumont is an interesting footnote of history, a prolific, but by no means unique inventor for its time - and certainly not "the father of aviation". That's a ridiculous claim without any basis in reality. His 14-bis aircraft is primarily known for being the first successful manned aircraft by someone other than the Wright brothers (and it also gained notoriety for being flown in front of a crowd and being filmed), who at this point had already built three functioning aircraft. The mere fact that he was directly inspired by Gabriel Voisin and Samuel Langley, two much more important pioneers of heavier than air aviation, makes this entirely inaccurate. I have to wonder if they teach this nonsense in Brazilian schools out of nationalistic pride, similar to how the Russian government lies that a Russian was "the father of aviation".

[@AppalachianLife]

Every time I look at my "First in Flight" NC license plate I'm reminded how incredible that we went from first flight to landing on the moon in less than 66 years!

[@1pcfred]

Humanity is always at our best when we're killing each other. Nothing like a good war to light a fire under folks asses. Aviation had World Wars One and Two (which was really one war with a pause) then the Cold War to propel it forward.

[@MouseGoat]

When the drive is there, we can do alot more than any skeptic think possible. They even believed flight was impossible for humans once

[@1pcfred]

@@MouseGoat most of what humans tend to believe is silly.

[@BooBaddyBig]

People always say that, but really the main technology line for the moon goes from 12th Century China through military weapons, then through Goddard through the Nazis and then back to America through NASA to the Saturn V. Airflight wasn't on that line.

[@mattsoup4121]

Every time I see those plates I remember that they built the planes in Ohio and just drove to a beach in NC for testing.

[@bumpedhishead636]

When I was in Freshman in college for aero engineering, one of the the first classes I took was a history of flight. We talked a lot about why the Wright Bros were successful when so many others failed. One of the primary reasons is because BEFORE trying to build an airplane, they first studied the science of flight and fluid dynamics, all the way back to Newton & Bernoulli. They built wind tunnels to test wing shapes and flew hundreds of kites. They succeeded because there were not only brilliant mechanics, but because they understood the science of flight and engineered their airplane to match the science. They knew how much lift they required and how to obtain it. They knew how much thrust was required to overcome the drag, and that determined the engine and propeller design. They understood how changing the angle of attack on the tip of the wing would generate asymmetrical lift to bank the aircraft. The Wright Brothers were truly amazing!!

[@newman977]

What an amazing video. I love that we can see the crew capsule on the background. The rapid progression from the first powered flight, to space and orbital flight is incredible.

[@TheDIYWarrior]

That must be the best job ever. To be able to repair and maintain old aircrafts as well as being able to witness all the history that goes along with it sounds super fun.

[@mikeparker3865]

Adam - you are truly blessed to be able to see all this up close and personal. As you examine the first airplane, the Apollo capsule in the background just makes me wish I could be so close to those historic items. How awesome!

[@MaxCruise73]

I recommend reading "The Wright Brothers" by David McCullough. There was a third member of the Wright Brothers. Charlie Taylor was the Machinist and Mechanic that built the original engine of the 1903 Flyer. Quote Charles Edward Taylor (May 24, 1868 - January 30, 1956) was an American inventor, mechanic and machinist. He built the first aircraft engine used by the Wright brothers in the Wright Flyer, and was a vital contributor of mechanical skills in the building and maintaining of early Wright engines and airplanes. Unquote Will bet the engine of this 1909 Wright Flyer was also built by Charlie Taylor.

[@fractuss]

They were fortunate to have a genius like Charlie. His contribution is way underplayed.

[@MaxCruise73]

@@fractuss So true. As a Journeyman Machinist, I have the utmost respect and admiration for Charlie Taylor.

[@fractuss]

@@MaxCruise73 I remember seeing a video where some folks made an exact copy. It took them like six months and a hundred thousand dollars. Charlie and the Wright Brothers did it from scratch in far less time and for certainly far less money. It's beyond remarkable.

[@fractuss]

And he did it with a lathe and a drill press and hand tools.. I'm a lowly carpenter but I can't imagine.

[@MaxCruise73]

@@fractuss The people that made the replica engine had a display at AirVenture in Oshkosh Wisconsin. Seeing and hearing it run was a real treat. kzbin.info/www/bejne/haSzc2BmhrV_eqs

[@jamesbarisitz4794]

We are very fortunate to have this early pioneer of aviation still with us. So often all that remains are grainy black and white photos of wreckage in a field. Phenomenal.

[@markzanetti6228]

Charles Taylor, a mechanic employed by the brothers, produced many of the parts for the engine in the Wrights' bicycle shop.

[@jpeterman57]

He was their machinist. The Wrights were the mechanics.

[@kaleta036]

Having grown up with Mythbusters I really appreciate Adam’s excitement and how he looks at this piece. So much knowledge and wonderment.

[@hoyteq]

You where just like me watching this vid Adam, huge smile on my face. Not many people get the chance to see these craft so close and you being able to share it with us is beyond amsome :)

[@AndrewSmoot]

Adam being a kid in a candy store gives me life.

[@alt5494]

To all those saying the Wrights did not invent flying. There is a hour long video on the Greg's airplanes channel explaining in detail why you are completely wrong. No matter what your feelings on the USA or your country. Trying to strip the Wrights of their incredible accomplishments is completely wrong.

[@adamgh0]

There's always going to be some jerk to contradict every "first." "Chuck Yeager didn't break the sound barrier, Edison didn't invent the light bulb, Abraham Lincoln invented the Sony Playstation" etc. Don't let them get you down. The Wright Brothers flew first.

[@1pcfred]

@@adamgh0 Edison didn't invent the light bulb. He did invent the screw base though. But there were light bulbs predating Edison's work by decades. The trouble with all that came before Edison is none of their designs were commercially viable. You needed an EE degree to operate any of them.

[@no1DdC]

@@1pcfred Correct. Edison is correctly being credited for having invented the first practical light bulb. Only less educated people think that he invented "the" light bulb.

[@jerrymiller8313]

I read in a book on the Wrights that among the many things they came up with was counter rotating props. They also painted the wooden parts with silver paint so that the type of wood used was concealed. First stealth aircraft.

[@area85restorations75]

Adam! I sincerely thank you for this! This kind of information and presentation is few and far between in our modern Era. As an aerospace engineer myself I sincerely appreciate documentaries like this. Please do much much more!

[@tentandoumcover]

Santos Dumont was the creator of the motorized airplane. Alberto Santos Dumont was a Brazilian aeronaut, sportsman, self-taught and inventor. Dumont is widely recognized as the father of aviation, having performed the first approved flight in history

[@no1DdC]

@@tentandoumcover This lie isn't getting any more truthful by being spammed a million times. Making a short hop with a weird backwards plane three years after the Wright brothers does not make someone "the father of aviation".

[@charlesconway447]

Adam - Thanks so much for sharing this with us. I'm envious of the opportunity you had to examine the aircraft up close. I'm approaching the 50th anniversary of my first solo, and I've always been in awe of the Wright brother's talents as engineers, builders and visionaries. Besides their contributions to aero engine design and propulsion systems, they identified the problems of aerodynamic stability and control as central to making airplanes practical, and they developed workable solutions that are still in use today. I often think of that when I trim up our family aircraft - a 1949 Cessna 170 - so it will fly hands off: a direct legacy of the Wright brother's work. Great episode. Cheers!

[@ollytigby8485]

Isn't it amazing to see what we are able to do now from 100 years ago using the same engineering principals. Just imagine how technology will be like in another 100 years with present innovations as an example.

[@88cameras]

You can be the 1st to test the teleportation devise then. Make to sure to say "beam me up scotty" 😉😂

[@peterkelley6344]

We've sent craft to most of the planets and beyond the Ort cloud. We've done a lot in JUST 120 years.

[@1pcfred]

With Brandon in charge kiss civilization goodbye.

[@belovedrock.]

@@1pcfred Not too swift are you. You've mistaken this for a politics channel.

[@1pcfred]

@@belovedrock. everything is political. All human discourse is political too. They wear the mask which is a political statement. No one would be wearing masks if governments weren't oppressing the people. Truckistan!

[@neogator26]

I love this!! Their calculations regarding prop efficiency has only been improved upon by single digit percentages even today with all our technology. These guys were amazing! One of the main reason the US government were behind the aircraft curve in WWI was because they backed Langly and didn't want to buy someone else's plane so they waited to see if Langly would come through with is design. They actually waited almost a month to even acknowledge that the brothers had even achieved stable flight. So the brothers took their plane to Europe and sold it there. Those countries improved upon the designs and learned how to achieve stable flight and came up with their own planes from there.

[@RChero1010]

Highly, HIGHLY recommend the National Museum of the USAF here in Dayton, Ohio. Absolutely fantastic air and space museum and you can see a reproduction 1909 military flyer and I think at least one original on display as well as a plethora of other significant aircraft.

[@cruisinguy6024]

Mere words cannot describe the USAF museum. Their collection is just incomprehensible. And it’s free!

[@biteme263]

I was in the Air Force and when I came back to Ohio years later it is something I had to visit. I have been there twice. It is an amazing thing to see if you are into aircraft or military history. I was stunned and delighted to see an aircraft on display I actually worked on! One of the F-4's that was stationed at our base. When I saw the tail number and insignias I was like "Holy crap!, I worked on that plane!". The kids were like "Wow, you are old." lol. I went to the nasa museum when I was kid in the 80's too. I would love to go back as an adult and see it again. Never been to the Smithsonian but I would love to go sometime. I have no desire to go to Washington other than the museums. Oh, and the Henry Ford museum and Edison's work shop are pretty cool too if you are ever in that area. Kind of pricey though in my opinion.

[@williamwilson6499]

I used to go to the museum when it was just one building and a static display lot. Talking early 60s. Watched it grow as I did…great place to wander as a kid.

[@hyfy-tr2jy]

only problem with this museum is that there is no earthly way to see it all (and do it justice) in one day. You need at LEAST two days if not three to take it all in.

[@therealbadbob2201]

They are adding another hanger to the museum. Fantastic museum. My uncle worked on the B-36 on display. My first time visiting the museum that B-36 was parked outside.

[@SteveandLizDonaldson]

Excellent video and great to watch. If you are interested in the early aviation of the Wright Brothers, the third powered airplane they ever built (the first one made four straight hops at the NC Outer Banks, the second flew in Dayton but not well and parts were incorporated into the third), the third is the Wright Flyer III in which they learned how to turn properly, and had hour long flights etc in a small field (Huffman Prairie) near Dayton, Ohio. The Wright Flyer III is considered by the Wrights as their first practical airplane. It is on display in Dayton; and the display was arranged by Orville Wright near the end of his life. Also, you can also walk around Huffman Prairie, pretty much as it was when the Wrights flew there.

[@michaelkristensen5055]

The first European that made a airplane that was engine powered (Air cooled) (Airplane that was heavier than air) was the Danish Jacob Ellehammer in 1906. It flew 42 meters in a high of about 47 cm. Because the information about the Wright Brothers was so long to arrive to Europe (And no one believed them) people still thought they could be the first to build a plane with a motor attached.

[@fnorgen]

What's pretty funny is that for a while, the Wright brothers were labelled as frauds in France because someone had published inaccurate plans for a Wright-type flyer, and many aviation enthusiast got really upset when they followed those plans and it didn't work at all. Off course their reputation got flipped around as soon as they came to France themselves and brought the latest version of the flyer along.

[@kilianortmann9979]

It is incredible how far the Wright Brothers were ahead of anybody else. In 1906 people still cherished hops of a few dozen meters, and the Wrights did a controlled circular flight of more than 30 Minutes at the end of 1905.

[@Redmenace96]

Think it is cute that Europeans chime in, and think they are part of the advent. cute. Just like ICE, I don't give a fuck how many rich dudes had experimental planes. Who gave it to The People?

[@kilianortmann9979]

@@Redmenace96 WW1 'gave' it to the people. Lots of surplus aircraft available, WW1 increased motorization amongst all participating countries. The vast majority of Ford Model T were produced after the great war. After WW1 the US was the only developed country that had no massive destruction on home soil and did not need to pay large reparations (UK is a special case but they too had massive issues). The US, by sheer luck and geographical placement came out of WW1 relatively unscathed.

[@silvesby]

There was also a New Zealander who had a nack for making flying machines around that time too. I think what's more fascinating is the jump in aerial technologies in just a decade of progress

[@kevindown1592]

One of the best and most entertaining recent books I’ve read is “The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough. I highly recommend you read this book. He does such a great job of telling the story of the brothers and their competitors to be the first to fly. Seeing the details of the actual aircraft and the elegant solutions they came up with to make their flying machine is so much fun. I am so happy future generations of engineers can go and see this important piece of history.

[@tentandoumcover]

Santos Dumont was the creator of the motorized airplane. Alberto Santos Dumont was a Brazilian aeronaut, sportsman, self-taught and inventor. Dumont is widely recognized as the father of aviation, having performed the first approved flight in history

[@dsangel1]

Adam as an Ohioan this just made me smile. I would HIGHLY recommend you make some time to personally (not even necessarily for a video) visit Dayton, specifically Carillon Park to see the 1905 flyer, the display of which Orville was involved in so that people could see how the aircraft worked, the bicycle shop replica (I think there's an item there you would very much enjoy seeing!) and the eagle's nest above it with residents Orv and Willa who return each year! You should also make time to go to Hawthorn Hill, while Wilbur didn't live there the home is still wonderful and the library a time capsule of so many items connected to the brothers achievement. Make a stop at Wright State University and visit the archives to see some of the collection of the Wright's photos, documents and plans to build an aero-plane. Don't, as some mentioned already, miss the National Museum of the USAF. Finally take a moment to visit Woodland Cemetery in Dayton, follow the drive up, to the left and curving around to the right stopping at the Wright family plot for a moment of reflection on 2 brothers who gave us the world.

[@todd718]

I made an 1600 mile road trip to see the Air Force museum (fall of 2021) and while there visited Hoffman Prairie, and the Wrights bike shop. Hawthorn Hill was not open, but it is an impressive house. The Wrights made a LOT of money quickly to build a house like that so soon after the first flight. Highy recommend a trip to Dayton for aviation history buffs. Plan on a full day at the Air Force museum.

[@robertplant9710]

Living in dayton is worth it for the history. Such an interesting and underappreciated city

[@jefffrankart5136]

@@todd718I appreciate your passion, but take issue with taking a full day at the usaf museum. A whole week would be more appropriate. Seriously, I had to prioritize because I ONLY had a full day there. The Presidential Planes Gallery was fantastic, but there is so much to see there.

[@tentandoumcover]

Santos Dumont was the creator of the motorized airplane. Alberto Santos Dumont was a Brazilian aeronaut, sportsman, self-taught and inventor. Dumont is widely recognized as the father of aviation, having performed the first approved flight in history

[@chancellorgowron8992]

My great-grandmother was born in 1898 she died in 1998 when I was in Middle School and I remember just a few short years before she went to a blue angels event with us. Afterwards I remember her telling my parents that it's just so amazing that I lived my whole life and I got to watch this go from a impossible concept when I was a child to the Magnificent airshow I saw tonight.

[@joshgriff8180]

The fact that airplane technology is only 100 years old suddenly makes me rethink every plane ride I've gone on 😬😬😂😂

[@alexandermenzies9954]

119 years.

[@sqlevolicious]

Go look at statistics. Airline travel is the safest form of travel there is, even safer than train travel.

[@Appletank8]

tbf, car technology is like, only 150 years old.

[@Psychlist1972]

Computers are even younger, and control pretty much everything today, including financial markets, safety, rockets, cars, and airplanes.

[@Shane_Reynolds85]

@@Appletank8 true, but aircraft are VASTLY more advanced than automobiles.

[@tinkmarshino]

I didn't miss the irony of an Apollo capsule behind the Wright brothers plane.. Well done!

[@SavageGreywolf]

people forget that bicycles were cutting edge high tech gadgets at the turn of the 20th century.

[@1pcfred]

They really weren't. The automobile was.

[@mauricedelarosa6940]

@@1pcfred You are right. But what's amazing to me is that in 1903, automobiles were just starting to become 'the next big thing'. They barely existed before the turn of the century and yet the first powered flight occurred within the same first few years of the new century. And for the next 65+ years, the automobile and airplane essentially developed in parallel. By January 1, 1970, all the major advances in aviation that would occur in the last century had already happened. First test flight of a supersonic transport, man on the moon, and Mach 3 aircraft. I'm sure someone will point out something I have overlooked, but about the only thing that seemed like an advance in aviation to occur in the last 30 years of the 20th century was perhaps stealth technology. In the new century we now have migrated to super efficient twin engine airliners, companies like Boom are trying to develop a viable supersonic airliner, and SpaceX has revolutionized the rocket industry, but for 30 years, it was a black hole of innovation.

[@1pcfred]

@@mauricedelarosa6940 work has been done on hypersonic flight. There are unique challenges to overcome there. Like the craft melting due to friction in the air. There are some crazy shockfront problems to deal with too. Our adversaries tout the capability but I doubt they can control it. We've been researching it for a lot longer than they have.

[@SteveCrowe37]

Only upset that the curator made that comment about the engines being designed and built by the Wrights. A gentleman named Charles Taylor was the mechanic who built the original engine that powered the 1903 Flyer in 6 weeks, and helped build this 1909 Flyer as well. I don’t know if he did build this particular engine, but I’d be astounded if he didn’t play a large hand in it’s design and construction. He deserves to be remembered as much as the Wrights do.

[@CCitis]

As an aviation geek… so awesome! I could spend hours and hours looking at this.

[@RChero1010]

As a fellow aviation geek, have you ever been to the National Museum of the USAF?

[@CCitis]

@@RChero1010 Never! Or the Smithsonian. Only really good museum I have been to is the one at the Boeing Plant in Everett.

[@glenchapman3899]

As a technology geek I would sitting right next to you. Where I grew up they have a steam pump from 1785 running. I have been known to just sit there transfixed by this amazing machine for hours.

[@lostcelts1536]

So much to nerd on here: The genius of the Wright Brothers, the ingenuity of using all they learned from building bicycles that perfectly converted to early airplane construction, the space capsule in the background, and Adam nerding out among it all just as I would!

[@rustedwrenchrestorationwor9779]

I love early avation! I can't imagine getting to be that up close and personal with an untouched aircraft built by the brothers Wright and getting a technical rundown of how it works! Awesome! I am fortunate enough to not be too far away from the Glenn Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport N.Y. Curtiss is recorded as having the first publicly viewed flight right on the heels of the Wright brothers and he was the one that developed the aileron and was by all records the father of seaplanes. Anyone who loves the Wright brothers owes it to themselves to visit the Curtiss museum! It goes a long way to completing the story of the birth of flight. The place is a mechanics dream

[@timgelder4263]

I have a propeller from a 1916 Curtiss JN4 "Jenny" hanging on my wall. Wish I could post a picture

[@tentandoumcover]

Santos Dumont was the creator of the motorized airplane. Alberto Santos Dumont was a Brazilian aeronaut, sportsman, self-taught and inventor. Dumont is widely recognized as the father of aviation, having performed the first approved flight in history

[@bwhog]

I'm a collector so I fully support preserving honest wear and tear. Fix post-service abuse but let the rest speak for itself. I love seeing stuff like that on a museum piece! Also, the fact that the Wright brothers even came up with the concept of wind-tunnel testing their designs is mind-blowing in and of itself! Brilliant men!

[@Jedda73]

That honestly must have been a bit overwhelming to see in person. So many cutting edge technologies for the time to take in and appreciate. I could spend hours just investigating one of those spark plugs let alone the entire machine.

[@denvan3143]

The original Wright “B” Flyer Isabel 20 minutes from my house; i’ve been to see it numerous times. There is an air of artistnship about it; it was obviously thoughtfully and lovingly crafted.

[@joshuagibson2520]

I lived in and around Dayton for decades. Hello neighbor.

[@Logovanni]

Okay I have to say something, and I don’t know why that curator didn’t mention it. If he didn’t know or just was trying to be polite or what, but the Wright brothers did not design or build that engine. They had a shop mechanic who took care of their static engine that operated their machines named Charles Taylor who designed and built their aircraft engines for them. He was a mechanical genius and contributed just as much to aviation as the brothers did.

[@Lucky32Luke]

I just noticed you have pointed this out earlier than I did. It is so sad Taylor is a forgotten engineering talent and even the people who's job is to correct the record in a Museum don't do their homework and spread the knowledge who have contributed what exactly to this amazing technological marvel.

[@jpeterman57]

I must disagree. Their machinist Charles Taylor made a big contribution with the engine but the mechanics, the Wright Brothers, contributed the lion's share.

[@curbtiger9046]

Don't forget Charlie Taylor! I grew up in general aviation in the late 70s, 80s, had piles of Air Classic n such & still am an airplane geek. As a career bicycle mechanic and shadetree engineer, Charlie Taylor is my spirit animal. He needs an episode of his own.

[@DuncanJimmy]

I get chills thinking about all the engineering required to make such a beast for the first time knowing people's lives were on the line, particularly after knowing someone has already lost theirs.

[@jonathanstancil8544]

This is what made the Wright Brothers the inventors of the airplane: the fact that they conceived the entire craft as one system that had to have every tiny piece perfectly designed to do it's job. There were gliders before them that flew. There were engines that powered previous craft in early attempts to achieve controlled flight. But Orville and Wilbur were the ones who put everything together to build the first operating airplane.

[@matthewpilkington7665]

Love watching Adam walking around the older exhibits like this. He reminds me of something a friend who is a Police Detective in a medium size country town mentioned that happens when they walk into a crime scene that has been secured previously. They bury their hands into their pocket to prevent them from reaching out and touching something and disturbing evidence. So many times you can see Adam wants to pick up and examine the various bits and pieces, study them, run his hands over them and feel the texture and weight of the pieces or surfaces . . . and in some cases you can see from the look on his face he almost wants to fondle them. But no, hands in the pockets, must not touch.

[@andymcpandy2128]

If you're ever in the UK, head to Chard in Somerset, where John Stringfellow pioneered (unmanned) powered flight around 50 years before the Wright brothers breakthrough. :)

[@FuzzyCollieDoggo]

An incredible piece of history! Thanks for sharing this with us!

[@tentandoumcover]

Santos Dumont was the creator of the motorized airplane. Alberto Santos Dumont was a Brazilian aeronaut, sportsman, self-taught and inventor. Dumont is widely recognized as the father of aviation, having performed the first approved flight in history

[@michaelmartin5942]

It's mind blowing, thinking about the technology the Wright Brother's incorporated into their aircraft designs back in 1909. Fuel injection, water cooling, etc. is all stuff we take for granted nowadays. They were truly the pioneers of flight!

[@Oddman1980]

I'd love to hear that engine run. Other than the fuel injection, I noticed it was an overhead valve engine. There's no way they had hydraulic lifters at the time. It would be cool to have a close look at the valvetrain or even a dismounted cylinder. It looks like the heads are integrated with the cylinder. The crank driven water pump and exposed timing gears are great, too.

[@longsleevethong1457]

You can. Just google it.

[@dcanmore]

Fuel injection was first invented in 1878 (UK - Brayton). First manifold injection system 1884 (Germany - Diesel). OHV engine came in 1898 (USA - Marr) and first application was 1904 (USA - Buick). Wright Brothers produced their first OHV engine in 1906. First supercharged engine was 1878 (UK - Clerk) the same design was first used in a car 1885 (Germany - Daimler). First SOHC engine was 1902 (UK - Maudslay) and DOHC 1910 (France - Peugeot).

[@xtiansimon]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/moHIp6l5eZWBedE

[@singleproppilot]

Most piston aircraft engines to this day still use cylinders that each have their own integrated cylinder head and are detachable from the crankcase.

[@tedfordsdrumworld910]

I spent 8 years marching on the field where this plane flew that flight they talked about in Arlington. It was Summerall Field on Ft. Myer, VA. Right adjacent to ANC. There is a marker at the reviewing stand of the flight.

[@stevezurek7281]

That is amazing.The history and the engineering of this flying machine. Everything is original. I enjoyed this episode.We don’t have this sort of stuff in Australia🇦🇺👍👍👍👍

[@chestercallahan8856]

What an honor for us fansto get behind the scenes look. I'm nerding out so hard here!

[@tentandoumcover]

Santos Dumont was the creator of the motorized airplane. Alberto Santos Dumont was a Brazilian aeronaut, sportsman, self-taught and inventor. Dumont is widely recognized as the father of aviation, having performed the first approved flight in history

[@Kais.]

Man, I didn't know we still had early flyers in such good condition

[@samreid6010]

If you ever get the opportunity, come up to Dayton Ohio to see the original Wright Flyer. This one definitely has more polish to it, whereas the original was a lot rougher as their original

[@canadiansk8]

fascinating, i love these videos from the Smithsonian!

[@opieangst]

these type of videos arouse me. Keep 'em up, Adam!

[@JCBeastie]

I'm always amazed by how many features on a pioneering piece of technology seem to be so advanced; you always assume they would be simple but that's rarely the case. I grew up in Cornwall learning about Trevithick's first steam locomotive and there's genuinely brilliant engineering solutions you'd imagine would come later, but there they are right at the start. Do the Wright's get credit for fuel injection? I never knew they built their engines! What a wonderful example to still have intact. Wow.

[@har234908234]

This sort of fuel injection is akin to spraying starting fluid into the intake - I'd imagine largely inefficient in that time of the carburetor that made the fuel/air mix more efficient so you get more out of the weight (fuel) you carry. Aviation technology is conservative - efficiency comes well after reliability... this may have been smart choice for the state of the technology. Later fuel injection and obviously digitally controlled injection are something much more sophisticated.

[@scooterscs]

This is awesome, thanks Adam. We went to both air museums in December. While there was a lot closed off at either, there was still a lot to see. Loved every minute of it.

[@shanek6582]

Is that an original, recovered Gemini or Apollo splashdown pod back there? My god I hope you show us that!

[@CaptainCrutch]

He already has, it’s the Apollo 11 capsule.

[@shanek6582]

@@CaptainCrutch thanks, going to go find it.

[@tested]

Here's the video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5jPdZtprbOZe8k

[@matthewganote6165]

Just FYI, Selfridge had a base named after him just north of Detroit, MI. It's still in use today by the Michigan ANG.

[@oryzomyspalustris4593]

I grew up near that base, and I was today years old when I learned the backstory. Thank you, Adam, the Tested Crew and the Smithsonian!

[@rcbuggies57]

nobody thinks the bike chains are a weird choice... There's a reason why that in every single racing bike, even the ridiculously overengineered f1 style lotus 108, a good old chain and sprocket was the choice of power delivery. Simply unmatched under specific conditions.

[@lostcelts1536]

One of the most serindipitous moments of history was that early aircraft construction required the exact same technology used for bicycles. All that was needed was someone to realize it -- enter the Wright brothers!

[@rarewhiteape]

The Apollo 11 command module just casually chillin in the background.

[@cfeauto5938]

I really realty hope they never truly "restore" this plane. Preserve, yes, restore no. There is soon much history in that cloth. The military history of the Brothers, the pilots, the ground crew, the maintenance crew. It's just beautiful to see all of that history still there when it could've been re-covered any time in those last 113 years

[@alpheusmadsen8485]

I learned a few months ago that Winnebago created several helicopter RVs from military helicopters. None of the helicopter RVs are around today, and it pains me to report that one of the RVs had been donated to a museum -- and that museum converted the RV back into a military helicopter for display! How in the world could a museum take a helicopter like that, and "restore" it rather than preserve it? *Particularly* when an RV helicopter is far more rare than a military one?

[@murphyr31]

I had goosebumps throughout this whole video and again as I’m typing this comment. Absolutely amazing to have that there.

[@tentandoumcover]

Santos Dumont was the creator of the motorized airplane. Alberto Santos Dumont was a Brazilian aeronaut, sportsman, self-taught and inventor. Dumont is widely recognized as the father of aviation, having performed the first approved flight in history

[@hyfy-tr2jy]

The true genius of the Wright Brothers was not the airplane. It was their ingenuity on creating devices to test, in the laboratory, the components of the airplane. The second point of brilliance was that they knew the idea of an airfoil was just physics and never patented it so that others could explore and make other aircraft but what they DID patent was the mechanisms of the control surfaces so that everyone else who made airplanes had to pay them a royalty on being able to control their plane....brilliant business move!

[@hyfy-tr2jy]

@@SoloPilot6 of which they won every single one of the lawsuits. To run the table as they did suggests they were in the right

[@President-jv5kz]

Love when u do these things on old stuff, so cool

[@I.am.Sarah.]

And only 60 years after they built this humans flew to the moon. Amazing.

[@peterkelley6344]

I have to wonder what the Wrights would have to say about that feat.

[@aaronbasham6554]

Its honestly interesting what they were able to do within a dozen years too. Like, most other technologies took far longer to mature

[@1pcfred]

@@aaronbasham6554 who told you the tech they flew to the Moon was mature? They basically went in a craft that could pass for a TV dinner tray. When they built the LEM they had to put baking sheets on the floor so tools wouldn't pass right through if it someone dropped one. The skin was aluminum sheet about 3 times thicker than aluminum foil is. So the same stuff old TV dinners came in.

[@aaronbasham6554]

@@1pcfred okay, but compare that to how long it took to get cars that actually worked properly, or even steam powered vessels

[@1pcfred]

@@aaronbasham6554 innovation happens unevenly. It only took 19 years from invention before an automobile went over 100 MPH. What still didn't exist then was an infrastructure that could support transportation by automobile. Smooth paved roads. Steam powered vehicles happened as soon as steam power plants could be made that were portable. Fulton's first steam powered voyage happened in 1807. The state of machining then was limited.

[@tonygunk1886]

The fact that they thought up pressurized oil bath/fuel injection is absolutely amazing..

[@seldoon_nemar]

Adam really should hook up with Scott Manley and do some kerbal space program stuff for some giggles. I'm absolutely positive they would both love the the experience 😂

[@arrrgee]

It's amazing to see this up close, all that history.

[@Frostfly]

The most amazing thing about the wright brothers is how willing they were to attack ANYONE who built an airplane. Their rabid (and often unjustified) defense of their patents likely held back the development of air craft in that first couple decades.

[@leifvejby8023]

It only held development back in USA, but absolutely did so! They didn't bother in Europe,

[@Kaptin77]

Just outside of Dayton Ohio, in Miamisburg, is The Wright Brothers General Aviation airport, where there is a Flyable Wright Flyer, they fly it at the Dayton Airshow every year, and they have a great little museum where you can go in and some really great ol guys will tell you all about the aircraft. If the weather is ok, you can even pay to go on an orientation flight with one of these amazing guys that still maintain this unreal aircraft, it takes off at 25mph and cruises at about 35mph, i definitely recommend at least going to the hanger and checking this flyable history if you get a chance, and then go a few miles down the road to Dayton and check out the museum at Wright Patt, the USAF museum, and you can even stop in between the 2 museums and check out the Wright Brothers bicycle shop, its a great way to spend a weekend in Dayton

[@alexanderhikel2350]

I have to give credit to the people that flew that , there is no way in hell my ass would go up in that thing

[@shurmurray]

may actually be safer than that recently upgraded b-737 XD

[@thewaytruthandlife]

they didnt know any better.... that's their luck i guess

[@shurmurray]

@@thewaytruthandlife actually brothers did flown A LOT and got only few incidents. While other follow-up aviators of that time had much less success. Roughly 50% of early aviators died in aircraft crash, AFAIK, but not Wright brothers. If it was all about luck - there was a hell lot of it :)

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

Still better in-flight service than RyanAir too…

[@1pcfred]

@@shurmurray We can use the term fly loosely. They were airborne but they only traveled at about the speed of a brisk walk. Something like 6 MPH So not exactly screaming along. It took them 59 seconds to go 852 feet. Which works out to about 6.2 MPH

[@jessies9081]

The composition of the Wright flyer with the Apollo capsule is perfect. I love it!

[@jamesallred460]

Adam, I'm glad you took your mask off so we could see you smiling, but it was totally unnecessary. Your entire body was grinning like a kid on Christmas!

[@ethansmith2326]

I try to make a point to visit this museum at least once a year as it is nearby. Amazing that you were able to get such behind-the-scenes access! There are still dozens of one-of-a-kind airplanes in storage at their Suitland, MD facility that I hope they will eventually be able to put on display at Udvar-Hazy.

[@huntr10112]

absolutely amazing, I love Adam savages youtube videos, truly another amazing piece of not only American but world history

[@turnip1stew]

Brilliant episode of Tested!

[@maartentoors]

@ 10:26 THANK you! I'm a computer/network engineer, and have been using mere containers to keep track of the various screws and parts I get when disassembling hardware. This technique gave me a 'Dóóóh!' moment. I will be so much more efficient!!

[@Michael-nf1ej]

Man, thanx so much! It's great to watch with wonder and smiles!

[@lostonwallace1396]

You can't go wrong with Wright! Great video, Adam!

[@wals6383]

What a wonderful piece of history that is preserved for us to marvel and appreciate all their knowledge to build such an amazing flying machine.

[@enkhyy]

I found myself gasping and in awe of this walk around. An engineer conservator's dream.

[@KraussEMUS1]

I have the very first ion propelled aircrafts to lift their own power supplies on my channel! They are patented in part for that reason. Although they are very lightweight and don't carry people yet, they can fly silently with not moving mechanical parts. More advanced versions with added propellants or alternately much higher voltages will work well in space as well.

[@kevincrosby5991]

I wish this was like an hour long! Awesome!

[@Eelbackwards]

A family friend who has since passed away used to talk of taking his bicycle to the Wright Brother's shop of upkeep and repairs. Having flown with my cousin who is a Registered Pilot, and Aviation Mechanic who aslo toyed with radio controlled planes, my realization about the wings not having Aeloerons or flaps yielded ths same response. Lol! I am amazed at the ingenuity and enablement of a hand built and designed flight tech. There was so much thought to implement such a complex thing as flight. 'Just WOW' All the best to you Adam. Thanks for sharing!

[@tomrobinson102]

Adam, if you're ever in Dayton, the aforementioned National Museum of the USAF is there with a replica of the 1909 military flyer. But Carillon Historical Park has an original 1905 Wright Flyer III and the Wright Brothers National Museum. They also have a replica of the Wright Bicycle Shop (since the original was bought by Henry Ford and moved to Deerfield Village.) The Air Force Museum and the Wright Museum both have the Wright Brothers' wind tunnels.

[@georgeharris572]

this made me remember going to the air and space with the cub scouts as a little kid. Now decades later I wish when we looked at this that we had a guy going over its history like this

[@peterkelley6344]

Next up: Adam recreates a Wright Fyer. I can honestly hear his mind churning with ideas.

[@snelled]

one of the coolest things I have ever seen on youtube

[@stevem7868-y4l]

WOW, and Adam is speechless seeing this plane, great vid, and kudos to the Wright brothers,

[@1dgram]

It's absolutely amazing how much innovation went into that aircraft.

[@JohnKSedor]

Gustave Whitehead flew years before the Wright Brothers in Bridgeport Connecticut in 1901, and possibly as early as 1899. It was a controlled flight and replicas of his plane flew equally well in Bridgeport Connecticut and in Germany near a Museum to his honor. I spoke to his family who still live in Connecticut and I also had private conversations with Park Rangers at Kitty Hawk Memorial in North Carolina, and they confirm that Gustave Whitehead flew years before the Wright Brothers. They even showed me a copy of Jane's Aviation which stated that.

[@davidpreneta3805]

Aeronautical engineering was in its infancy at this point in time. Scientists and engineers from all over the world were working to develop controlled powered flight. Two brilliant bicycle mechanics methodically designed, built and tested these early aircraft. Orville and Wilbur Wright contributed so much to this field it's absolutely amazing.

[@buffalo2wheeler1]

I love the juxtaposition of the spaceship capsule, and the fact that it doesn't even get a mention in this video. Very cool

[@Chris-yo3cl]

Just flew to Kill Devils Hill NC KFFA,what a beautiful place to see! The monument and museum was awesome!

[@Lyoishi]

If you want to see a lot more historical engineering in person, The national air force museum in Dayton Ohio has many similar quality artifacts to take a look at.

[@patrickfiles6080]

Yes, the Air Force Museum has a couple of Wright wind tunnels, too, as I recall.

[@annwagner5779]

It warms my heart to see you putting the spotlight on conservators so they can share their amazing insights. I work with art conservators, but it’s the same principle. The tacking of fabric on the Wright Military flyer is so much like the stretching of canvas for paintings in the same era! Adam, I would love for you to visit some art conservation labs.

[@tested]

We LOOOOOVE these visits too!