Before the big boom of aviation pioneers in the late 19th century there was the Aerial Steam Carriage or Aerial for short. lacemaking-engineers John Stringfellow and William Samuel Henson designed the aircraft in the 1840s but split after their medium sized model failed. Henson quite and later moved to the US, but Stringfellow continued on the project and in 1848 found success with one of his models. Their engine design was very light and powerful, it would later influence Samuel Langley (who made contact with their sons and examined their work) and trough him men like Curtiss.
Original design
Stringfellow redesign, note the wings
What if they went with Stringfellows design from the get go? Before splitting they tried to get funding from parliament and were laughed out, then they tried Aeronautical engineering pioneer George Cayley who was also unwilling to help for fear that they would fail and discredit his ideas. Could a successful model convince people with the means to invest in them? what would early manned flight look like, and what impact would it have?
What if they went with Stringfellows design from the get go? Before splitting they tried to get funding from parliament and were laughed out, then they tried Aeronautical engineering pioneer George Cayley who was also unwilling to help for fear that they would fail and discredit his ideas. Could a successful model convince people with the means to invest in them? what would early manned flight look like, and what impact would it have?