The flights were delayed by fog

Graham Webster and Tim Guest negotiated a 120-foot runway - the exact length of Orville's maiden air voyage - at the Wrekin Flying Club, Shifnal, Shropshire on Wednesday.

The pair, who each used a microlight plane similar in weight to the Wrights' aircraft, began their tribute at about 1220 GMT.

Mr Webster and Mr Guest had hoped to take to the skies at 1035 GMT, the time of day that the "The Flyer" took off from Kitty Hawk beach in North Carolina on 17 December 1903.

'Tight circuit'

But, as in 1903, weather conditions were not ideal and fog forced them to delay the challenge.

The Wright Brothers made aviation history

Mr Webster, who is also celebrating his birthday, told BBC News Online after completing the tribute: "We flew alternately, each of us in circuit at the same time, one following the other.

"When we had reached the 100 mark we realised we had nine minutes left so carried on until 121.

Mr Webster added: "The Wright Brothers' Flyer was very similar in weight to the aircraft that we were flying.

"We have a maximum take-off weight over 390 kilos, which is very close to what Orville was flying 100 years ago."