THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE SMITH- 

 SONIAN INSTITUTION AND THE 

 WRIGHT BROTHERS 

 By CHARLES G. ABBOT 



Secretary, Smithsonian Institution 



For several months past, beginning- February 13, 1928, 

 when I first addressed Mr, Orville Wright, a month after 

 my election as Secretary, I have sought to end the so-called 

 Langle3^-Wright controversy. In a friendly, personal con- 

 ference with Mr. Orville Wright on April 19, he explained 

 to me the points regarding which he feels that the Smith- 

 sonian Institution has dealt unjustly with the Wright 

 brothers, and stated that what he termed a " correction 

 of history " by the Smithsonian was essential. 



So far as I am aware, all men agree that on December 17, 

 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur 

 Wright, alternately piloting their plane, made the first sus- 

 tained human flights in a power propelled heavier-than-air 

 machine. 



These successful flights by the Wright brothers came as 

 the culmination of : ( i ) Their extensive laboratory experi- 

 ments to determine the behavior of plane and curved sur- 

 faces in air. (2) Their numerous gliding flights during 

 several years at Kitty Hawk and elsewhere. (3) Their 

 original design and construction of their flying machine 

 and of the engine and propellers. 



The Smithsonian Institution has recognized these 

 achievements in the following manner : 



I. By printing articles by Wilbur and Orville Wright in 

 the Smithsonian Annual Reports. (See Smithsonian An- 

 nual Reports, 1902, pp. 133-148; 19 14, pp. 209-216.) 



Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 81, No. 5 



