Building a Wright Brothers Flying Machine

Why would any one in their right mind build a 108 year old aeroplane? Well to answer that question I must regress back in time a bit, please bare with me. After I was forced to retire from my job in 2003, due to 2 heart attacks and other medical problems my co-pilot (wife) asked, what I was going to do with my life and all the free time I had, she had some good ideas but it involved housework and waiting on her hand and foot, because she still worked. I had my own ideas and they involved a couch and the television. So we compromised and I said I would like to try woodworking. So with the co-pilots (wifes) blessing and a check I started into the world of woodworking. Little did I know the path I choose was full of danger and mystique (bit theatrical here). Soon I became a toolie, or most would say a Tim the Toolman, I lived for a new tool or gadget, yep a real tool junkie. Soon I was looking at all the woodworking magazines and books for that tool I had to have, so I was surprised when co-pilot (wife) told me about a woodworking show that weekend at Cal-Expo (Sacramento). With check book in hand off we go. Big mistake, I met my second true love there, she was 150lbs tall, slim with a great build, and green. The General wood lathe would compete with my wife for my love and it was her (co-pilot) that introduced me. Also at that show I met a group of people that would soon become my second family, the Sacramento Area Woodworkers club, you mean there are other people like me? that are inflicted with the same passion? Yep. I was in seventh heaven. I soon became a member of the club , dragging co-pilot (wife) with me to the meetings , and low and behold we discovered woman woodworkers, and co-pilot (wife) took an interest. Things were looking up. The garage soon took a new look, one of a wood shop with lumber, tools and half completed projects abound. Co-pilot (wife) became interested in the scroll sawing and in a short time became proficient to the point of winning local contests and her work published in magazines. I started to teach lathe work to the club and winning awards at the state fair.Yes we both were sucked in the vortex of woodworking and we loved it. We made many new friends who have the same type of interests as we. Last year we move into a new home, set up a new wood shop, then tragedy struck last year with in one month we lost two of our closest friends in the club, needless to say we were devastated. Our interest in woodworking started to wean. Going to the shop was fun no more. Little did I know a 14 year old neighbor kid would be the instrument that would change my course of woodworking and start my obsession with the Wright Brothers.
Robert one day last March came over to our house and asked if I had book on the Wright Brothers, he knew my passion for reading and aviation, I am a big history nut also. He said he had to do a book report on the Wright's for school. With his dad's ok we went to a local book store and found several books on the Wright's. I pick one titled 'The Bishops Boys' by Tom Crouch. The book was the standard biography of the Wrights but with a twist, it provided a lot of technical information of the construction of flying machines. After reading a few chapters, from a woodworkers point of view, I said "I could do that" more chapters read I said "I could do that too", near the end of the book I said "I could learn that" By the end of the book I was convinced as a woodworking project I could build a 1902 Wright Brothers gilder flying machine. The Grand Daddy of all future aircraft. To be continued.......