there is more to the history of the wrights, but suffice to say, if the smithsonian didn't want to display the wright machine, they didn't have to.
I imagine there would be hundreds of places willing to honor the wrights.
so many people belittled the wrights including, but not limited to, the entire french press, and langley. Alexander graham bell was no saint either and curtiss was a scoundrel . the french newspapers were happy to call the wrights BLUFFERS (bloufers) until they witnessed for themselves the absolute control of their airplane near le mans and reims. They bent over backward to celebrate them .
so, why shouldn't the wrights want it right? even the US govt insisted a method of paying royalties to the wrights be expedited to allow rapid expansion of aviation esp during WW1.
https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Inve...vs._innovation
interesting article about inventions and that US patents are all considered inventions.
yup...for all practical purposes, this should close the discussion, in very much the favor of the Wrights.
I've taken a keen interest in the wrights and really can't stand so many naysayers and history rewriters. The first passenger casualty, Lt Selfridge , lost during an Orville Wright flight graduated from the same high school I did.