I would like to point out that the first use of miliary airplanes was by the USA against pancho villa.
remember too that the european powers were at war from 1914 and the USA didn't join the fight till 1917.
And by 1919 the first transatlantic flight was by a US Navy flying boat.
So don't be blaming the Wrights for progress.
in 1910, the first plane to takeoff from a ship was in the USA
in 1911 the first plane to land on a ship was in the USA.
so far this whole thread has taught me there are people I really don't like on PPrune and they really don't know too much.