I do not rely on aviation history books about the Wright brothers. They are highly inaccurate and basically repeat the brother's own version of events, published in Sep. 1908 (see:
The Wright Brothers' Aeroplane [Orville and Wilbur Wright, The Century Magazine, September 1908] | Library of Congress )
I always go to primary sources (especially old articles that can be found at the Library of Congress but also in L'Aerophile collection) to find serious evidence about the powered flights the brothers claimed they had achieved in 1903 - 1905. I have found nothing reliable.
Serious articles - before Dec. 17, 1903
The articles (about the Wright brothers' gliders) written before Dec. 17, 1903 are reliable, illustrated with credible pictures and drawings.
Examples:
- "Daring Men Make Notable Success of Aerial Navigation Experiments", The Dayton Daily News, Jan. 25, 1902 (see:
Scrapbooks: January 1902-December 1908 | Library of Congress )
- "Some Aeronautical Experiments", Scientific American, Feb. 22, 1902 (see:
Scrapbooks: January 1902-December 1908 | Library of Congress )
- "Gliding Machines. The Latest Aeronautical Experiments.", The Illustrated Scientific News, Feb. 1903, pag. 73 (see:
Scrapbooks: January 1902-December 1908 | Library of Congress )
- "Aerial Locomotion in United States", Le Monde Illustre, Paris, 28 March 1903, pag. 293 (see:
Scrapbooks: January 1902-December 1908 | Library of Congress )
Not serious articles - between Dec. 17, 1903 and 1908
After Dec. 17, 1903 what was published about the two inventors diverges considerably from the official story the Wright brothers and history books have tried to accredit. (This is the official version of events:
The Wright Brothers' Aeroplane [Orville and Wilbur Wright, The Century Magazine, September 1908] | Library of Congress )
Examples:
- "Airship that Flew in North Carolina and Its Inventors", Sunday Tribune, Chicago, December 20, 1903 (see:
Scrapbooks: January 1902-December 1908 | Library of Congress ) - One propeller is placed underneath the plane!!
- "The Machine That Flies", New York Herald, Jan. 17, 1904, pag. 3 (see:
Scrapbooks: January 1902-December 1908 | Library of Congress ) - Same, a big propeller appears under the plane.
- "Real Story of the First Real Airship Flight Ever Made", New York Herald, May 19, 1907 (see:
Scrapbooks: January 1902-December 1908 | Library of Congress ) - The Wright brother's plane is shown with a single propeller placed in front of the wings!! The plane also does not have a front elevator!