112 years after two bike mechanics from Dayton, Ohio took off from a sand dune in what was then Kitty Hawk and proved that we could indeed fly, we’re still celebrating that remarkable feat and we are still captivated by Wilbur and Orville Wright. Mental Floss marks the anniversary of their flight with this whimsical list of things you never knew about this dynamic duo.
“Before they built the world’s first powered, heavier-than-air, and controllable aircraft, Wilbur and Orville Wright were two ordinary brothers from the Midwest who possessed nothing more than natural talent, ambition, and imagination. In honor of Wright Brothers Day on December 17, here are 15 uplifting facts about the siblings who made human flight possible.
1. A TOY PIQUED THEIR PASSION.
From an early age, Wilbur and Orville Wright were fascinated by flight. They attribute their interest in aviation to a small helicopter toy their father brought back from his travels in France. Fashioned from a stick, two propellers, and rubber bands, the toy was crudely made. Nevertheless, it galvanized their quest to someday make their very own flying machine.
2. THEIR GENIUS WAS GENETIC.
While they were inspired by their father’s toy, the Wright brothers inherited their mechanical savvy from their mother, Susan Koerner Wright. She could reportedly make anything, be it a sled or another toy, by hand.”
[box type=”bio”] They weren’t twins but they sure acted like it. Read the rest of this fun list HERE.[/box]