Clayton went on to suggest that not all the credit belonged to the Wrights:  "The modern success in aeronautics may be said, I think, to date from the feat of Otto Lilienthal in 1891 in gliding down an incline in an aeroplane."  From this point on, he forecast, "progress will probably be rapid."  But he reminded readers not to forget the others on whose shoulders the Wright Brothers stood. "In the progress now achieved a great deal is due to Mr. Octave Chanute , an eminent American engineer, whose enthusiasm and great knowledge have stimulated the work of  Herring, Hufaker, the Wrights and many others, and whose advice and supervision was freely given in perfecting the machine which has finally succeeded."

Dozens of sites on the Internet are commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight this month.  Few, however, are specifically dedicated to those whose work made possible that signal event.  This Tech Tidbit recognizes the importance of the inventors, scientists, and engineers without whose work the Wright Brothers' success would not have been possible.

Sir George Cayley (1773-1857) -- Called by some the "Father of Aviation," Cayley was first to identify the key forces that govern flight: weight, lift, drag, and thrust.  He also built the first glider capable of carrying a human.
     Cayley biography on "Flying Machines" -- a short bio illustrated with drawings of his aircraft.
     Cayley entry in Wikipedia -- detailed user-compiled bio without illustrations.
     Cayley page on "The Pioneers" -- longest and most detailed bio with links, pictures & a movie.
     Cayley page on US Centennial of Flight Commission -- useful education-oriented site.

Alphonse Penaud (1850-1880) -- Inventor of the rubber-band-powered toy airplane, he demonstrated that sustained powered flight was possible.  His invention is credited with sparking the Wright Brothers' interest in flight.
     Penaud biography on "Flying Machines" -- includes numerous drawings of Penaud's craft.
     "A Brilliant and Tragic Life" -- detailed illustrated bio on the French site, Aérostories.
     Penaud bio on "Engines of Our Ingenuity" -- includes a nice 3½ minute audio clip.

Otto Lilienthal (1848-1896) -- His experiments made experiments with flying machines respectable. Source of inspiration for the Wright Brothers, he once said, "To invent an airplane is nothing. To build one is something. But to fly is everything."
     Lilienthal bio on "Airplane Inventors" -- on a site by Steven Wright (not the comedian and no 
       relation to the brothers, either).
     The Otto Lilienthal Museum -- in Anklam, Germany.  Includes a glider collection, photo and 
       document archives, and more, much of it online.
     Lilienthal biography on "Flying Machines"  -- includes many photos of Lilienthal flying his gliders.

Octave Chanute (1832-1910) -- He built many gliders and worked with the Wright Brothers before and after their first flight.  Not only was he an aviation pioneer, but he also designed the first bridge over the Missouri River as well as the Union Stockyards in Chicago and Kansas City.
     Chanute bio on "Airplane Inventors" -- short but well-illustrated profile.
     Chanute bio on "Flights Before the Wrights" -- beautifully-done museum exhibit with many photos; 
        includes much information about Chanute's personal life and non-aeronautical accomplishments.
     Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum -- located at the former Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois.
     The Octave Chanute Pages -- "Focusing on Chanute's contributions to the invention of the airplane
       and his glider experiments in the Indiana Dunes in 1896." 

John J. Montgomery (1858-1911) -- Experimented with gliders in the late 19th century, but his secretive nature limited his influence on other aviation pioneers and his impact on the development of heavier-than-air flight.
     Montgomery bio on "Flying Machines" -- with many photos and interesting details.
     Montgomery on "San Diego Biographies" -- dramatized account of aspects of his life on a site of 
       the San Diego Historical Society.  Parts of it are of questionable accuracy.
     Montgomery's listing in the United States Soaring Hall of Fame.
     Montgomery's listing as an "enshrinee" in the National Aviation Hall of Fame (look him up under
        "Enshrinees.").

Samuel Langley (1834-1906) -- Probably the Wright Brothers' main competitor, Langley was Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and a distinguished astronomer.  He achieved the first sustained powered flight with an unmanned aircraft in 1896, but his manned Aerodrome (funded by a federal grant) crashed ignominiously on takeoff into the Potomac River near Washington, DC, just nine days before the Wright Brothers' first flight. 
     Brief biography of Langley -- produced by the Aeronautics Learning Laboratory of Florida
       International University.
     Short Langley bio on "Centennial of Flight Commission"
     Langley bio on "Flying Machines" -- a lengthy, detailed, well-illustrated article.

Wilbur (1867-1912) & Orville (1871-1948) Wright -- Links to information about the brothers, their aeronautical accomplishments, and the Centennial of Flight.
     The Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company of Dayton, Ohio -- an online museum & souvenir shop.
     U.S. Air Force Centennial of Flight.
     First Flight Society -- located in Kitty Hawk, NC, and hosting a major celebration there.
     AIAA Wright Flyer Project -- building a modern representation of the 1903 Wright Flyer.
     The Wright Brothers:  The Invention of Aerial Age -- an online exhibit at the National Air and 
       Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.
     The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk -- an online photo archive from the Library of Congress.
     The Wright Stuff -- educational site from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
     The Wright Brothers in the TIME 100 -- the most important people of the 20th Century.
     U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission -- an elaborate site for the official celebration.
     The Wright Brothers (Franklin Institute, Philadelphia) -- includes great film footage from 1911.
     The Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kitty Hawk -- from the National Park Service.
     Wright Brothers Photography -- mostly a commercial site, but includes excellent online versions of 
       many photos and interesting documents (including the telegram reporting success on Dec. 17).
     The Wright Experience -- an attempt to construct full-scale reproductions of Wright aircraft.
The Smithsonian's New Udvar-Hazy Center -- A new museum adjacent to Dulles
       Airport in Virginia, it will greatly expand the space available to display the National Air and Space
       Museum's collection of historic aviation and space artifacts.  Opens December 15, 2003.