NO. 5 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AND WRIGHT BROTHERS II 



Vigorous criticism of the statements made by the Smith- 

 sonian relative to the test of 1914, and the capabiHty of 

 flight of Langley's machine having appeared, Dr. Walcott 

 in 1925 asked Dr. j. S. Ames and Achiiiral David W. 

 Taylor, members and now Chairman and Vice-Chairman, 

 respectively, of the National Advisory Committee for Aero- 

 nautics, to examine the circumstances and report. Their 

 conclusions were summarized in the following letter, sup- 

 ported by several appendices which are printed herein, the 

 whole of which was given to the press by Dr. Walcott on 

 June 9, 1925. 



Washington, D. C, 



June 3, 1925. 

 Dr. Charles D. Walcott, 

 Secretary, Smithsonian Institution, 

 Washington, D. C. 



Dear Doctor Walcott : 



The announcement that Mr. Orville Wright had arranged to have 

 the first Wright airplane deposited in a British museum having 

 aroused considerable controversy as to the accuracy of the label 

 attached to the Langley flying machine now on exhibition in the 

 Smithsonian Institution, you have asked us to examine the Langley 

 machine, look into its history, and advise you whether we consider 

 it desirable to modify the present label. 



We have made a careful study, not only of the history of the 

 Langley machine itself, but also of all the circumstances connected 

 with its tests. We append to this letter (Appendix I) a suggested 

 modified label, and a statement of our views and conclusions (Ap- 

 pendix II), upon which our recommendation is based. 



There is no question but that the Wrights were the first to navi- 

 gate the air, thus reaching the goal long sought by many, but in our 

 opinion, when Langley's 1903 machine was wrecked in launching, 

 he too, after years of effort, following a different road, was in sight 

 of the same goal. He was like the prophet of old who, after forty 

 years of wandering in the wilderness, was permitted to view the 

 promised land upon which he never set his foot. Langley's accom- 

 plishments in aeronautics were notable, and he is entitled to full 

 credit for them. We believe that the Langley machine of 1903 

 was capable of sustained flight had it been successfully launched, 

 and it is naturally fitting that the Smithsonian Institution should 



