BIRTH OF FLIGHT

I'm sure you know that Kitty Hawk was where the Wright brothers made history by being the first to design, build and fly a powered airplane capable of carry a human. Nearby is the national monument to their achievement and a place we had to visit.

Inside was an authentic replica of their first plane and also their first powered airplane. Remember, all of this was achieved at their own expense and many challenges had to be overcome before manned flight was possible.

Outside we saw their camp with the hanger beside their living quarters. They lived in Dayton, Ohio so when they came down to the Outer Banks they needed a place to stay. Back in 1903 this was a very desolate place.

Their living accommodations was very spartan. Note the beds above the ladder. Behind the ladder was their work area for repairing their planes or modifying something that didn't work as expected.

This is the actual launch spot where on December 17, 1903 the first successful flight was made. The rail beside the stone was the launching rail as the sandy dunes were too soft to support wheels on the plane.

Today we are off to walk the boardwalk in Duck and explore more of the Outer Banks.

Thanks for stopping by.