Number 21 (plane)
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| Number 21 | |
|---|---|
 Gustave Whitehead and his 1901 monoplane taken near Whitehead's Pine Street shop. His infant daughter, Rose, sits on her father's lap, and the engine that powers the front landing-gear wheels is on the ground in front of the others. |
|
| Type | experimental fixed wing monoplane |
| Manufacturer | Gustave Whitehead |
| Designed by | Gustave Whitehead |
| Maiden flight | August 14, 1901 |
| Primary user | Gustave Whitehead |
| Produced | 1901 |
| Number built | 1 |
- This article is about an airplane. For the number 21, see 21 (number).
Number 21 was the name of an airplane that aviation pioneer Gustave Whitehead reportedly flew near Bridgeport, Connecticut on August 14, 1901 - two years before the Wright brothers' first flight.
According to Whitehead and a few eyewitnesses to the event, the monoplane's longest flight was 60 meter (200 feet) above ground for 800 meter (0.5 miles). However, these claims are contested. Whitehead did not keep a log book or document his work.
In an article in the August 18, 1901 issue of The Bridgeport Herald reporter Dick Howell states he witnessed a night test of the plane, at first unpiloted but loaded with sand bags, and later with Whitehead at the controls.
Howell was actually a sports journalist, who usually made hand-drawn sketches of events which accompanied his articles. He made a sketch showing the plane in the air.
Whitehead reportedly made four flights that day, which is the reason for different witnesses talking about different flights on the same day, which was used by his opponents to question whether a flight took place.
Number 21 was a monoplane powered by a 20 hp engine, fueled by acetylene and oxygen (compressed air). It started the takeoff run using the engine to power the wheels; upon takeoff, power would be switched to the propellers.
