Getting the story Wright: Ernest Zens is not Orville Wright

Additions October 8, 2025

This bothers me to no end. It is everywhere! The photograph below is of Ernest Zens and Wilbur Wright. Ernest Zens is not Orville Wright. This photo is misidentified constantly as of Orville and Wilbur. Stop it!

Ernest Zens and Wilbur Wright, September 16, 1908, Le Mans France.

Wilbur and Orville flew together just once, and Orville was the pilot. This occurred at Huffman Prairie, May 25, 1910. No photograph was taken of the brothers prior to take-off, sitting side by side in the aeroplane on that day. Orville also took his father, Milton Wright, up for his first and only flight on this day. Milton wrote in his diary entry for that day, "It is a nice day......We all went to Sim[m]s Station. Orville rose 1600 feet and 2600 feet in flights. Orville & Wilbur took a first flight together. Orville took me up 350 feet and 6.55 minutes."


For the story of the Wright Brothers, wouldn't it have been more appropriate to picture both brothers on the cover, instead of Ernest Zens and Wilbur? Well, I guess that is Orville on the Flyer in the background, so.......

The Wright Brothers, from our friends in China. Heroes and Role Models which include an animated Ernest Zens and Wilbur Wright, but not Orville.

For just $3.99 (plus $4.50 shipping), you can buy this refrigerator magnet of Ernest Zens and Wilbur Wright, The Wright Brothers!

For just $7.99 (plus $3.99 shipping), you can have two pinback buttons of Ernest Zens and Wilbur Wright. Not sure why Orville's name is printed on the button. Hey, give one to a friend, so you both can get history wrong!

www.abc.net.au image of Ernest Zens and Wilbur Wright, wrongly identified as Orville and Wilbur, 1910; just one of many websites misidentifying this photograph while "educating" the public.

Of all websites that one would think would not make this error, the next example is from the National Aviation Hall of Shame, oops, I mean Hall of Fame:

The National Aviation Hall of Fame website, asking for donations so they can spread the news that Ernest Zens is actually Wilbur's brother Orville. I'm pulling my hair out now.......

Aviation Services website an.aero provides the top 5 facts about the Wright Brothers who apparently are Ernest Zens and Wilbur Wright. I guess Ernest was adopted?

From The Aviation Group, www.aviationgroup.es website, the question is asked, "Who were Orville and Wilbur Wright?" Apparently they don't know, which is why they're asking. Here is a big hint......Ernest Zens is not Orville Wright!

From the Wright State University MS-1 Wright Brothers Collection, ms1_17_4_6. Description given- Ernest Zens, balloonist, and Wilbur Wright sitting in the Wright Model A Flyer at Camp d'Auvours, near Le Mans. Zens is listed as a passenger on Wilbur Wright's record breaking flight, September 16, 1908, when he flew for nearly forty minutes with a passenger. Courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University Libraries.

From the Wright State University MS-1 Wright Brothers Collection, ms1_18_2_9. Description given- Marquis Edgard de Kergariou, Ernest Zens, Orville Wright, and Katharine Wright about to ascend in the hydrogen balloon Icare. Image courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University Libraries.

Amazing proof that Ernest Zens and Orville Wright are actually two different individuals, even though they both wear mustaches! Ernest Zens on the left, Orville Wright on the right, .....sigh. Image courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University Libraries.

Ok, now that everyone knows Ernest Zens is not Orville Wright, will our kids finally have a chance at a correct representation of the history of the Wright Brothers? Dream on! "Epic is the leading digital reading platform....for kids 12 and under." per their website. Well, if so Epic, get the history Wright!