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.
I dont think the first military action by a plane was against Pancho Villa. The Italians were doing photo reconaissance in 1911 against the Turks which I think was before Pancho Villa. Happy to be proved wrong though.
Also the Brits were the first to take off and land on a vessel that was underway. And also the Brits were the first to fly non stop across the Atlantic. The USA has done great things but credit is also due to the French, Italians, Brits and others. Even us Ozzies had Lawrence Hargrave who invented the Box Kite in 1893 and flew it to 5m altitude the following year!