Wing of the Wright Flyer inside the Bollee Factory, Le Mans, France, 1908

Leon Bollee, a French automobile manufacturer, became one of the Wright brothers' most important friends in 1908 when he offered workspace and a crew of mechanics to Wilbur Wright during Wright's successful demonstration flights at Le Mans, France. The language barrier meant that Wright did most of the mechanical work on the airplane himself, but Bollee's assistance was much appreciated.