Wright Brothers vs Smithsonian

Although today the 1903 Wright Flyer is in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, there is a funny story behind the very important replica held in the British National Aeronautical Collection. (The aircraft from this collection are on display at the top of the Science Museum in South Kensington.) This replica was built to replace the original Flyer which was on show until 1948. The reason that America's most important aircraft was in London, rather than in the USA's most important scientific museum, was that the Wright brothers were not going to allow the Smithsonian to claim their ex-director, Samuel Langley had made the first flight.  (I know I've posted photos of it, the story is over here though http://www.225.pitt.edu/story/langley's-innovations-propelled-flight )

But, here is the really WOW moment about the Wright Brothers Flyer, it was stored in a Welsh cave to keep it from being damaged by German bombs during WW2

http://www.culture24.org.uk/places-to-go/south-west/bristol/tra17625

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