Officially, the Wright Brothers flew first in 1903. But the Australian aviation expert John Brown argues that German born Gustave Whitehead flew in Connecticut in 1901. To display the Wright flyer, the Smithsonian Museum agreed that it will never claim that anyone flew before the Wrights. History may not be as certain as we thought.

Famed pilot, historian and aircraft designer Ken Hyde heads a team of engineers who construct the most accurate reproduction extant of the 1903 Wright Flyer. You'll hover over their shoulders as the team researches photos, blueprints and half-written notes. Then, on December 17, 2003 (exactly 100 years to the minute after the Wright's historic first flight), watch as Hyde gets his chance to repeat history in his replica Flyer.

With boundless perseverance and ingenuity, aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright work to bring their vision to the skies, culminating in the first successful manned flight in December 1903. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and John Glenn read aloud from the brothers' writings as dramatic flight footage illustrates their famed accomplishments.