Animated Hero Classics (1991)

Episode Overview

Two bicycle mechanics, Wilbur and Orville Wright, chase their aspiration to achieve flight. Lacking formal training as scientists or engineers, they delve into the glider designs of Otto Lilienthal and learn the art of controlled flight through trial and error. As imaginative young boys, they uncover the secret of wing warping by observing birds. Their father encourages their dream, urging them to pursue it. After reaching out to aviation pioneer Octave Chanute, they discover Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, as the ideal location for their glider experiments. Despite initial setbacks due to inaccuracies in Lilienthal's calculations, the brothers tweak the figures and eventually succeed in achieving controlled flight. With Chanute inadvertently revealing their wing-warping concept, the brothers remain unfazed, confident that others lack their understanding. After a brief 59-second flight, they accept a challenge from Santos-Dumont, showcasing their groundbreaking invention to the world on August 8, 1908, in France.