The Wright Brothers

On 17 December 1903 Orville Wright took off in the Wright Flyer and flew for twelve seconds, covering a distance of 105 feet. Over the course of the day Orville and his brother Wilbur made a further three flights. They had achieved their seemingly impossible dream: they had built a plane that could fly.

How did these brothers come to invent the first successful powered aeroplane? And who were these two men that changed the course of history?

Ian Mackersey’s authoritative book charts the development of the Orville and Wilbur’s flying machines from initial designs to the famous twelve second flight through to the aftermath of this historic moment when the brothers continued to improve on their inventions against rising international competition. The Wright Brothers draws upon a wealth of previously unpublished Wright family correspondence to provide insight into the personalities of these two remarkable men and the triumphs and tragedies of their family.