Besides "Jane's All the World's Aircraft"  and Prof. Zahm (US Library of Congress), many other leading historians and officials have supported Whitehead's claim. Some of them are listed here (below):

 

1. Prof. John B. Crane (Harvard University)

2. Jack Carpenter (Biographer of the aviators Curtiss and Waterman)

3. Prof. G.K. Weissenborn, St. Michael's College, Univ. of Toronto, Canada

4. Ron Howland, University of London, Institute of Historical Research

5. David Walker, Head Govt. Accountability Office, US Comptroller General

6. Bruno Wiesler, Head of Degree Program, Joanneum University, Graz, Austria

 

 

1. Dr. (later Prof.) John B. Crane (Harvard) to Louise Whitehead (Gustave Whitehead's widow)

1937-01-18, Binghamton Press, p.21

Evening Post, May 15, 1937, p.8, Wellington, New Zealand

1937-01-18, Stratford Star

 

 

2. US Historian, Jack Carpenter

Jack Carpenter

 

 

 

In 1989, Jack Carpenter, Biographer of the aviation pioneers Glenn Curtiss and Waldo Waterman, wrote to a New York historian and a former Smithsonian Director (among others) - see below. He firmly backed Gustave Whitehead's first flight claim:

Carpenter to Opdycke, June 14, 1989

 

 

 

3. Prof. George K. Weissenborn

University of Toronto, St. Michael's College

Jan. 1988, Air Enthusiast, p.77

 

 

 

 

4. Ron Howland, University of London

School of Advanced Study, Institute of Historical Research

The Institute of Historical Research is a School of Advanced Study at the University of London. Its function, in part, is to lay down the "best practice" methods and procedures historians use to investigate issues of fact. Ron Howland's assessment (below) therefore carries additional weight.

Ron Howland

"Gustave has been cheated of a fair evaluation of his true place in aviation history. The evidence in his favour is overwhelming  when assessed from a neutral standpoint, more so now, with [the] new additional information."

 

 

 

 

 

5. David Walker

Head, US Government Accountability Office

Comptroller General of the United States of America

David Walker

 

 

 

“As a former Comptroller General of the United States and head of the GAO for 10-years, it seems to me that the Smithsonian entered into an nappropriate advocacy contract with the the Wright family. The American people deserve to have the facts and know the truth.”

 

 

 

6. Dr. Bruno Wiesler, Head of Degree Program, Joanneum University, Graz, Austria

Bruno Wiesler Ph.D.

 

 

"We here at the Joanneum University, Aviation Faculty, believe that Gustave Whitehead really did fly before the Wrights, most probably in 1901. And, as far as I know, we're the first major, academic institution to include this in our curriculum."