The Wright Brothers (page 2)

Mackin

Did you know that the Wright Bros were NOT the first to fly? That honour went to an New Zealander named Richard Pearce?

http://www.onthenet.com.au/~billzila/pearce.htm

larc

Mackin,

What you referenced could be true. I have never seen this before, and maybe it is true. Well, it is all damned interesting.

Mackin

It's all true. Every NZ schoolkid is taught about Richard Pearce. However most Americans refuse to concede that somebody from a country most of them have never heard of could have beaten the Wrights.

It wouldn't surprise me at all that the Wrights were not the first to fly. I wonder though, if Pearce got ridiculed as much as the Wrights did for conducting his experiements. It would be interesting to find out. Hey Mackin, how about some of those sources that those school children use to learn about Richard Pearce. I would like to enlighten myself.

larc

Hey Mackin,

I don't care if it is true or not. If your country should have gotten the prize instead of ours, well that is OK with me. What someone needs to do is write a real good book about this part of history, and set things right. I mean that, by the way. I am not being sarcastic. The truth should be told, no matter how it turns out.

Mackin

Hey Mackin, how about some of those sources that those school children use to learn about Richard Pearce. I would like to enlighten myself.

Well I don't know what resources schoolkids have today, and it's been a year or two since I was at school. But here's a few links that might be of interest:

http://www.nzedge.com/heroes/pearse.html

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/Gallery/Pearse/Pearse.html

http://chrisbrady.itgo.com/pearse/pearse.htm

A Google search will turn up many more sites. BTW, the spelling is PEARSE with an S. I think I spelled it wrong before.