PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - The Wright brothers just glided in 1903. They flew in 1908.
Old 12th Jun 2014, 09:20
  #386 (permalink)  
longer ron
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Well then in the absense of a photo so far - I will keep it simple !

It is impossible that the Wrights ever built an aircraft with a prop underneath for the reasons I stated in my previous 2 posts on the subject !

The chain drive through 90 degrees would be extremely difficult to design/build.
It would be impossible to 'swing' the 'lift' prop to start the engine.
It would be impossible to use the launching rail method of take off.

And finally -the Wrights were not short of lifting power from their cambered wings - so why would they even think about a lift prop ?

All they needed was forward thrust from their 2 pusher props to give airspeed,and they were a fairly simple sprocket and chain drive design !
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