Tuesday marked the 113th anniversary of Wilbur and Orville Wright's historic first flight near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
The San Diego Air and Space Museum celebrated by powering up a replica of the engine the Wright brothers used on that historic day. Aviation enthusiasts say there's no better place outside Kitty Hawk to commemorate the flight.
"It's incredible when you take a look at the aviation industry in San Diego. It's like no other place in the country ... . We’re just a huge huge center for aviation both historically and modern-day," said Terry Brennan, curator of the museum.
The Wright brothers' first flying machine reached a speed of 33 miles per hour. At the Air and Space Museum, the engine sat below a Lockheed A12, which reached speeds of 2,400 miles per hour less than 60 years after the first flight in Kitty Hawk.
"In that period of time you could see the progress that aviation had made based principally upon the country's citizens' love of aviation, love of excitement, love of adventure and there it is right there," Brennan said.
On hand for the celebration was Derrick Reimann, a college engineering student from Montana.
"It's really interesting seeing how the engine is put together and comparing it to other engines and kind of being able to apply the knowledge I've learned in class and analyze something in real life," he said.
