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Ask an Explainer

Q:

Did Wilbur and Orville Wright build a wood plane or was it made out of a different type of material?

A:

The 1903 Wright Flyer was made of wood. The wings were covered in muslin, and the plane had a 12-horsepower engine driving two pusher propellers. The propellors were also made of wood, but painted silver to make anyone spying think they were made from aluminum. 

Ask an Explainer
Posted on November 19, 2015 at 5:25 pm
Categories:
Structures & Materials
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