...the same website that asserts that the Wrights employed a team of specialist engineers, whilst poor Kiwi yokel bloke did it all on his tod. Now, as I recall, the Wrights super-slick R&D team included, er, themselves (a couple of well-read bicycle mechanics), some bloke to help in the workshop, a little kid (sorry, ace test- pilot) to ride the early gliders, and some fishermen guys at Kittyhawk to help launching and recovery. Just like Lockheed or Boeing really. I am distrustful of undocumented claims, especially when accompanied by inaccurate rubbishing of people who took the trouble to provide some evidence of their accomplishments, so my money is still on Wilbur and Orv.
[ 16 January 2002: Message edited by: FNG ]</p>