The growth of an industry

This second of a three-part series highlighting the centennial of flight focuses on how World War I and II changed the face of aviation technology.

When Wilbur and Orville Wright's Flyer, with its 12-hp engine, stayed airborne for 12 s at Kitty Hawk, NC, on December 17, 1903, it was not only man's first powered and controlled flight-it signaled the birth of a new industry. The brothers built on their initial achievement during that day of test flights, eventually culminating in a flight of 59 s over 852 ft-a huge improvement over their initial flight. They were, of course, just learning to fly.

Their eventual flight that day proved to be an indication of the speed of advance that would be achieved as the embryonic aerospace industry matured, with the military pressures generated by two World Wars providing the added momentum that was to bring extraordinary technological strides.