|
From 1902 to 1917 there were great reforms and a period of reorganization in American military procedures. The Navy remained the first line of defense but aviators were quickly being trained to garrison the lines.
In 1904 the Wright airplane received a new 16 horsepower engine but the flight tests failed to produce good results except when a catapult was designed to launch the aircraft. In 1905 a third Wright airplane was constructed this time with a 20 hp engine. They received a patent in 1906 but they refused to fly much until 1908 because of fears of having similar machines copied and patented by competitors.
The US government showed no interest in this invention and then Charles B. Flint and company joined their marketing team. They managed to form contracts with the Ministry of War in France. A stipulation of the contract between the Wright's and Flint stated that the inventors would handle sales to the US and England.
No government saw potential for the airplane and most doubted that the flight tests were proof that this gadget could actually fly successfully over long periods. No real contracts were ever signed.
Then other inventors and aviation engineers came along and were showing similar results in flight which may have given the proof necessary to get bidders into the airplane market.
By 1908 the airplane could go 50 miles and US Signal Corps was signing those contracts and training pilots. The french signed the contracts offered to them by Flint.
The heavier than air machine was flying and the Wright's were a hit but they were already being asked to make the earliest innovations in military flight.
One of these was that those wanting military airplanes were demanding a machine where two people could sit upright in the airplane.
So the next airplane came with a 30 hp engine and was a two seater with dual control panels.
In 1909 US Signal corps received shipment on it's first military airplane and the Wright's were 35 thousand dollars richer.
|
