- Born
- Died
- Birth nameGlen Hammond Curtiss
- Glenn Curtiss was born on May 21, 1878 in Hammondsport, New York, USA. He was married to Lena Neff. He died on July 23, 1930 in Buffalo, New York, USA.
- SpouseLena Neff(March 7, 1898 - July 23, 1930) (his death, 2 children)
- Aviation pioneer and aeronautical inventor.
- Became known as the "Fastest Man on Earth" when he set a motorcycle speed record of 136.3 miles per hour (1907)
- Founded the Aerial Experiment Association with Alexander Graham Bell.
- Was a bitter rival of Wilbur and Orville Wright. On the first day of the 1909 Grande Semaine d'Aviation flying contest in Rheims, France, Curtiss was sued by the brothers, who alleged their patent was being infringed. Curtiss won the event. The patent dispute continued for several years, nearly bankrupting him. Ironically, his and the brothers' companies would merge to become the Curtiss-Wright Corporation on July 5, 1929, which still exists.
- A bitter rival of Wilbur and Orville Wright. On the first day of the 1909 Grande Semaine d'Aviation contest in Rheims, France, Curtiss was sued by the Wrights, who alleged he was infringing on their patent. Curtiss won the event. The patent dispute continued for several years, nearly bankrupting him. A court eventually ruled in favor of the Wrights. Ironically, his and the Wright brothers' companies later merged to become the Curtiss-Wright Corporation on July 5, 1929, which still exists.
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