Right answer, not wrong!
Oh dear. Maybe this should be under folk lore (urban legends) - or myth-busting (for the use of).

But I always cited George Cayley (Wiki) as the first, but he never got past the glider stage. Neither did Eilmer of Malmesbury (Wiki) in the 11??C and was an old man in, notably, 1066.

But I find John Stringellow (Wiki) got there in 1848 with steam power. Now - he never got more airborne than a 747's wingspan but (Sorry USA) neither did Wilber or Orville, at first.

And like the Wright Brothers, Eilmer and George Cayley he experimented with gliders first.

lights fuse and retires