A vast body of evidence shows in 1901 Bridgeport resident Gustave Whitehead flew two years before the Wright brothers. Slowly, Whitehead is finally receiving the credit he deserves. Part of the problem was the slimy deal the Smithsonian cut with the Wright brothers.
Rob Foley, co-host of the Bridgeport Now cable access show will feature a segment on Whitehead tonight:
Tonight on Bridgeport Now TV we celebrate some good news for Bridgeport, though the news is only just now getting out in the United States, after I sent out releases to news agencies this morning. However, in Germany there are many news reports on the historical correction by aviation authorities that now puts Bridgeport on the map worldwide as first in manned, powered navigable flight before the Wright Brothers.
It was the historian at the Gustave Whitehead Museum, John Brown, who did extensive and meticulous research on Bridgeport’s inventor, which finally convinced aviation authorities. Whitehead flew in 1901, two years prior to the Wright Brothers. Tune in tonight to see the historian when he calls in via Skype at 8pm to discuss. Then the aviation authority from the UK who made the statement will call in. After that, a call-in from Andy Kosch, who built and flew a replica of the airplane, which is on display at the Discovery Museum. What does this mean now? A lot of textbooks need to be amended. North Carolina license plates have to change, and so does Wikipedia when they refer to the Whitehead flight claim as “dismissed by mainstream aviation historians.”
From John Burgeson, CT Post:
The 100th anniversary edition of Jane’s All the World Aircraft, long considered the bible of just about every human-made object that got off the ground, will credit Bridgeport’s Gustave Whitehead as the first man to build an operational heavier-than-air aircraft.
Read more here.
Tonight on Bridgeport Now TV at 8pm, we celebrate some good news for Bridgeport and it comes out of Germany and through aviation authority in England: the historical correction by aviation authorities that now puts Bridgeport on the map worldwide as first in manned, powered navigable flight before the Wright Brothers.
It was the historian at the Gustave Whitehead Museum in Germany, John Brown, who did extensive and meticulous research on Bridgeport’s inventor, which finally convinced aviation authorities. Whitehead flew in 1901, two years prior to the Wright Brothers.
Tune in tonight to see the historian when he calls in from Germany via Skype to discuss. Then the aviation authority from “Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft” in the UK, who made the statement, will call in. After that, call-in from Andy Kosch, who built and flew a replica of the airplane, which is on display at the Discovery Museum.
A big thanks to Andy Kosch for keeping it alive for all these years.
*** Finally, something positive that’s come out of the Park City; better late than never, no? *** UP, UP AND AWAY! ***
Gustave Whitehead is the best I-told-you-so moment in Bridgeport history!
Thanks to all for calling in last night on the program, including those via Skype from Europe in this historic moment!
One thing I have learned is the impact research and creating digital archives can have on correcting the conventional view of history. Celebrations are in order.
To advance this story, however, perhaps it makes sense to pursue the Smithsonian and see when it will acknowledge Whitehead as ‘first in flight.’ The director there apparently told the CT Post there was no ‘secret contract’ with the Wright Brothers.
The CT Post and this blog were first in reporting this story in this country, now more reports are starting to come out. This story came out just an hour ago:
www .foxnews.com/science/2013/03/13/first-in-flight-wright-brothers-flew-2-years-after-gustav-whitehead/
Let’s see if North Carolina and Ohio change their state tags.
What’s next? What about a new museum dedicated to the inventor? Yes, say officials from Leutershausen, Germany, where Gustave Whitehead was born. “Whitehead wrote aviation history–the museum can count on state financing,” according to the press release translated by aviation historian John Brown, who did the historical research setting the record straight.
“Around the world, it’s becoming clearer all the time that Whitehead wrote aviation history … for this reason, I fully support the planned, new German Aviation Pioneer Museum in Leutershausen.” Here is press release in German:
www .gustave-whitehead.com/deutsche-fassung/zusage-des-innenministers/
As for news coverage, I have received pages of news reports from abroad though not in English. However, reports from here are growing:
connecticut.news12.com/news/historians-claim-conn-native-gustave-whitehead-was-first-man-to-fly-1.4805464
www .ctpost.com/local/article/Aviation-bible-Whitehead-flew-first-4348050.php
www .itechpost.com/articles/6518/20130313/wright-brothers-beaten-german-born-inventor-connecticut-fly-first.htm