On Great White Wings: The Wright Brothers and the Race for Flight

On the eve of the hundredth anniversary of the historic events at Kitty Hawk comes a splendidly illustrated account of the legendary twelve-second flight that changed the world forever. On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright took to the air for less than a minute, accomplishing what mankind had only dreamed of for centuries. Now, almost one hundred years later, this definitive account offers a unique look at the Wright Brothers' achievement, and at the many experiments that led up to their momentous ride. Revealing the brothers' youthful interest in technology and flight, the authors recount the trials and errors of other would-be aviators, and explain how the race to be the first man aloft became an international obsession. Readers will learn how The Flyer – the Wright Brothers' original plane – was built, and how its indefatigable inventors solved the challenges that stumped their predecessors. And finally there is the historic flight itself – what went wrong and what, amazingly, went right – and the enormous impact the Wright Brothers had on their own and future generations. Written in engaging, accessible prose and, featuring more than 200 photographs and illustrations, On Great White Wings will delight anyone interested in the history of flight and in the fantastic story behind the twentieth century's most important achievement.