Gustav Weisskopf: 125 years since the Condor Nr. 21 flight

The 125th anniversary of the reported first powered flight by Gustav Weisskopf is being observed. According to historical accounts, Weisskopf's machine, the ‘Condor Nr. 21’, took off in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on August 14, 1901. This predates the Wright brothers' successful flight in December 1903.

While the aviation publication ‘Jane’s’ has acknowledged since 2013 that Weisskopf may have preceded the Wright brothers, his achievement remains a subject of debate among experts. Institutions such as the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington and the Deutsches Museum in Munich do not officially recognize the feat. Critics point to a lack of contemporary evidence and the fact that Weisskopf returned to experimenting with different aircraft designs shortly after the alleged flight.

Weisskopf, originally from Franconia, Germany, moved to the United States in 1897 after traveling through Brazil. Although he later built aircraft engines, he did not achieve sustained commercial success and died in 1927. The local museum in Leutershausen, Germany, continues to maintain ties with his descendants and promotes his historical legacy.