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Quiz about Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines
Quiz about Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines

Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines Quiz

Aviation Firsts

"Those magnificent men in their flying machines / They go upddity-up-up / They go downditty-down-down..." This quiz is about aviation history and its early years, so have fun!
This is a renovated/adopted version of an old quiz by author ABW

A multiple-choice quiz by lordprescott. Estimated time: 3 mins.
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Author
lordprescott
Time
3 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
158,376
Updated
Sep 27 24
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
235
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Last 3 plays: 173Kraut (7/10), Guest 31 (7/10), klotzplate (10/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. On December 17th 1903, history was made: the Wright brothers made the first successful powered flight. How many flights did the Wright brothers make on that day? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. The historic flight of the Wright brothers took place at Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. But why on earth did they choose that place to test their plane? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. So the Wright brothers were the first to make a successful manned flight. But they didn't go up together! Which of the brothers was actually the first man on a successful flight?


Question 4 of 10
4. The first American to fly after the Wright Brothers was a man named Glenn Curtiss. On the 4th of July, 1908, his heavier-than-air aeroplane won the Scientific American Trophy when he flew it 5,080 feet (1,550 meters). What was the name of his aeroplane? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In Europe, the first sustained manned, powered flight was made by Alberto Santos-Dumont. He made his flights in France, but from which country did he truly hail? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. What new aerial feat did Frenchman Louis Bleriot accomplish in 1909? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Charles S. Rolls was the first person to cross the English Channel on a round trip, flying from England to France and back without landing.


Question 8 of 10
8. The first four-engine aeroplane to fly was named "Sikorsky Bolshoi"--but which country, known for its borscht and Matryoshka dolls, was it built in? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The first US Navy aeroplane was the Curtiss A-1 Hydroplane. In what year was the aeroplane introduced to the US Navy? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The name Charles Lindbergh is very familiar, but exactly what aerial feat did he accomplish to make him famous? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. On December 17th 1903, history was made: the Wright brothers made the first successful powered flight. How many flights did the Wright brothers make on that day?

Answer: 4

The plane was named "Flyer". It was their own design, including the engine, and had taken years to perfect. The 4th flight was 852 feet long and lasted 59 seconds--which might not seem very log, but was a triumph at the time!
2. The historic flight of the Wright brothers took place at Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. But why on earth did they choose that place to test their plane?

Answer: Constant winds from the nearby sea

The constant winds from the sea close by provided additional lift to their aeroplane, giving it assistance when needed. The Wright brothers had thought carefully about their location: they had researched weather conditions and decided on Kitty Hawk after noting its breezes. They also noted that sand would make a softer landing, though!
3. So the Wright brothers were the first to make a successful manned flight. But they didn't go up together! Which of the brothers was actually the first man on a successful flight?

Answer: Orville

They chose who would fly first by tossing a coin; Wilbur was the winner. His trial flight was made on December 14th, but it was not successful. So it became Orville's turn was to make the next flight, which made history to become the first manned, powered flight by an aeroplane.
4. The first American to fly after the Wright Brothers was a man named Glenn Curtiss. On the 4th of July, 1908, his heavier-than-air aeroplane won the Scientific American Trophy when he flew it 5,080 feet (1,550 meters). What was the name of his aeroplane?

Answer: June Bug

Curtiss had designed the "June Bug" for the Aerial Experiment Association (AEA), and test piloted it. Since he pre-announced his flight on the "June Bug", his flight is probably the first pre-announced flight and the longest flight at that time. His prize was $2,500--a huge amount in those days!
5. In Europe, the first sustained manned, powered flight was made by Alberto Santos-Dumont. He made his flights in France, but from which country did he truly hail?

Answer: Brazil

Although living in France, he was born in Brazil, which regards him as a national hero. The flight, which took place on 12th November 1906, was the first recognized heavier-than-air flight in France. His plane was named "14-bis", or the "Oiseau de Proie" ("Bird of Prey").

Prior to this, however, Santos-Dumont had achieved some other areal-related firsts. In 1901, for example, he won the Deutsch Prize for aviation when he flew an airship that he had built around the Eiffel Tower--the first powered airship flight in history. He won a prize of 50,000 francs for this achievement!
6. What new aerial feat did Frenchman Louis Bleriot accomplish in 1909?

Answer: He was the first to cross the English Channel with an aeroplane

Bleriot's crossing was partially inspired by a competition hosted by the newspaper "Globe and Mail", which announced a prize in 1908 of £500 for anyone who would cross the English Channel in an aircraft before the end of the year. After a year with no one accomplishing this feat, the prize was doubled. Three others besides Bleriot entered the competition, but none managed the crossing; although the Wright brothers wanted to enter, they never did.

Bleriot's flight was on Sunday, 25th July 1909, with his plane Bleriot XI. He took off from Les Baraques in France at 04:41 am and landed at 5:17 near Dover Castle. Bleriot, who had been a manufacturer of car headlamps, was an instant hero.
7. Charles S. Rolls was the first person to cross the English Channel on a round trip, flying from England to France and back without landing.

Answer: True

This was the "Rolls" of "Rolls-Royce" automobiles, a co-founder of the company along with Henry Royce. He made the flight on 2nd June 1910, flying a French-built Wright biplane. He flew from Dover, England, to France and back without landing.

Interestingly, Rolls met his fate in an aeroplane crash. Aged only 32, he died during a aeroplane demonstration when the tail of his plane broke. He died on July 12, 1910.
8. The first four-engine aeroplane to fly was named "Sikorsky Bolshoi"--but which country, known for its borscht and Matryoshka dolls, was it built in?

Answer: Russia

It was designed and flown by Igor Sikorsky when he was still in Russia, before World War I and the Communist revolution. It was a biplane (the name means "the Great" in Russian), and was first flown on 13th May 1913 at St. Petersburg. It was powered by 4 100-hp Argus engines.
9. The first US Navy aeroplane was the Curtiss A-1 Hydroplane. In what year was the aeroplane introduced to the US Navy?

Answer: 1911

The Hydroplane, named after aviator and developed by Glenn Curtiss, was first flown on 1st July 1911. A biplane, it featured pontoons and hydroplanes to allow it to skim the surface of, and land on, the water. It could fly as fast as 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers an hour) for as long as 150 miles (240 kilometers)--amazing technology! It is also known as the "Curtiss Model E".

Curtiss went to much trouble to convince the US Navy of the fighting potential of an aeroplane, making several test flights. His hard work paid off!
10. The name Charles Lindbergh is very familiar, but exactly what aerial feat did he accomplish to make him famous?

Answer: He made the first solo transatlantic flight

From May 20-21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh made the first solo transatlantic flight nonstop from New York City to Paris. It was the longest flight ever made at the time, at a distance of 1,900 miles (3,000 kilometers). His flight was not spontaneous; it was part of another competition, one set up in 1919 by Raymond Orteig, who promised a sum of $25,000 to anyone managing a flight between New York City and Paris without stopping, within five years.

The five years passed and no one had claimed the prize. The contest was renewed for another five years, and attempts to win it began. Most contestants, however, suffered setbacks and all were unable to complete the flight. Lindbergh, an airmail pilot, was not well-known, and thousands of dollars were put into assisting him.

His flight in the aeroplane "Spirit of St. Louis" lasted 33.5 hours, through storms and other dangers. Recalling the actions of his predecessor Albero Santos-Dumont, Lindbergh flew around the Eiffel Tower before touching down in Paris. He had won the Orteig contest! A crowd of over 15,000 greeted him, and he was soon nicknamed "Lucky Lindy".
Source: Author lordprescott

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor trident before going online.
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