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18660  |  18662
Subject: 
Re: Historical fudging...
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Wed, 18 Dec 2002 22:06:56 GMT
Viewed: 
590 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Dave Schuler writes:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Pedro Silva writes:

IIRC, Santos-Dumond invented the modern controls for airplanes in 1906,
where the manche is connected to movable flaps on wings' edges; so if his
invention was the most "fertile" one, why shouldn't HE be given credit instead?

That's a good question.  It seems to me that he should get greater
recognition, but would he have built the control system if the Wright
brothers hadn't invented the motor-glider?  If he would have, then there's
no question that his name should also be attached prominently to airplane
history.  If not, then his invention might simply qualify as a modification
or derivation of the first working motor-glider.

Santos-Dumond was a rich brazilian living in France since the late 19th
century; he was a passionate of air-gizmos, and developed numerous baloons
and blimps before attempting to build an airplane (first version from 1901,
IIRC - at the very same time the WB were experiencing their controls with
gliders, both parties totally unaware of each other).
I figure it is safe to say Santos-Dumond heard about the Kitty Hawk flight
soon after it took place. But from there to imagining he "took on" from
there is a long step, and it neglects the importance of his previous studies.

I tend to think both inventors reached similar solutions for the same
problem in an independent fashion; the WB did it first, and SD did it in a
more "developable" way. Both their contributes are important and complement
each other.


Pedro



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Historical fudging...
 
(...) That's a good question. It seems to me that he should get greater recognition, but would he have built the control system if the Wright brothers hadn't invented the motor-glider? If he would have, then there's no question that his name should (...) (22 years ago, 18-Dec-02, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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