Wronging the Wrights




Sidedoor show

Summary: It took pride, deceit, and a giant catapult to set off the feud between the Wright brothers and the Smithsonian. On December 17, 1903, the Wrights made history when they flew across a blustery beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The airplane they flew that day is now a centerpiece of the National Air and Space Museum’s collection. This is the story of how it nearly wasn’t. Guests: Peter Jakab, senior curator at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Tom Crouch, senior curator emeritus at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum