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- Leon Bollee Sitting at the Controls of the Wright Flyer at Camp d'Auvours, near Le Mans, France, 1908-1909 - Leon Bollee was a close and important friend to Wilbur Wright during Wright's airplane demonstrations in France in 1908. Bollee offered Wright workspace and a crew of mechanics in his Le Mans automobile factory, and he asked for nothing in return. Nevertheless, Wright repaid the favor by taking Bollee up for a flight.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Leon Bollee Sitting at the Controls of the Wright Flyer at Camp d'Auvours, near Le Mans, France, 1908-1909
Leon Bollee was a close and important friend to Wilbur Wright during Wright's airplane demonstrations in France in 1908. Bollee offered Wright workspace and a crew of mechanics in his Le Mans automobile factory, and he asked for nothing in return. Nevertheless, Wright repaid the favor by taking Bollee up for a flight.
- Wilbur Wright and Passenger during a Flight over Camp D'Avours, near Le Mans, France, 1908-1909 - The Wright brothers are famous for their first flight in a powered, heavier-than-air craft on December 17, 1903. It was not until August 8, 1908 that they made their first official public demonstration of their unique controllable flyer. This shows Wilbur Wright flying near the ground while taking off at Les Hunandières horse racing track near Le Mans, France.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Wilbur Wright and Passenger during a Flight over Camp D'Avours, near Le Mans, France, 1908-1909
The Wright brothers are famous for their first flight in a powered, heavier-than-air craft on December 17, 1903. It was not until August 8, 1908 that they made their first official public demonstration of their unique controllable flyer. This shows Wilbur Wright flying near the ground while taking off at Les Hunandières horse racing track near Le Mans, France.
- Pamphlet, "Experiments and Observations in Soaring Flight," Wilbur Wright, 1903 - Theories and research on aviation were shared widely through professional journals. While conducting their experiments, Wilbur and Orville Wright read almost everything they could find, and Wilbur contributed his own articles on the brothers' work. This August 1903 article, based on Wilbur's June 1903 presentation to the Western Society of Engineers, describes their successful glider flights of 1902.
- June 24, 1903
- Collections - Artifact
Pamphlet, "Experiments and Observations in Soaring Flight," Wilbur Wright, 1903
Theories and research on aviation were shared widely through professional journals. While conducting their experiments, Wilbur and Orville Wright read almost everything they could find, and Wilbur contributed his own articles on the brothers' work. This August 1903 article, based on Wilbur's June 1903 presentation to the Western Society of Engineers, describes their successful glider flights of 1902.
- Wright Brothers - Wilbur and Orville, 1909-1912 - This postcard put the 1903 Wright Flyer -- and its builders, Wilbur and Orville Wright -- into context with other triumphs of engineering and invention. It surrounded the Wright brothers and their airplane with an anvil, a suspension bridge, drafting tools, a telephone, a stock ticker, a steam locomotive, and an ocean liner.
- 1909-1912
- Collections - Artifact
Wright Brothers - Wilbur and Orville, 1909-1912
This postcard put the 1903 Wright Flyer -- and its builders, Wilbur and Orville Wright -- into context with other triumphs of engineering and invention. It surrounded the Wright brothers and their airplane with an anvil, a suspension bridge, drafting tools, a telephone, a stock ticker, a steam locomotive, and an ocean liner.
- Crowd Gathered to Watch Demonstration Flights by Wilbur Wright, France, 1908-1909 - Wilbur Wright's many demonstration flights in France in 1908 and 1909 were spectacular events. Some in Europe had begun to doubt the Wrights' achievement at Kill Devil Hills. When Wilbur took to the skies over Le Mans, demonstrating more control and achieving more distance than his rivals, crowds flocked to watch his apparent mastery of the airplane. The skeptics were silenced.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Crowd Gathered to Watch Demonstration Flights by Wilbur Wright, France, 1908-1909
Wilbur Wright's many demonstration flights in France in 1908 and 1909 were spectacular events. Some in Europe had begun to doubt the Wrights' achievement at Kill Devil Hills. When Wilbur took to the skies over Le Mans, demonstrating more control and achieving more distance than his rivals, crowds flocked to watch his apparent mastery of the airplane. The skeptics were silenced.
- Crowd Watching Wilbur Wright Preparing the Flyer, France, 1908-1909 - Wilbur Wright's many demonstration flights in France in 1908 and 1909 were spectacular events. Some in Europe had begun to doubt the Wrights' achievement at Kill Devil Hills. When Wilbur took to the skies over Le Mans, demonstrating more control and achieving more distance than his rivals, crowds flocked to watch his apparent mastery of the airplane. The skeptics were silenced.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Crowd Watching Wilbur Wright Preparing the Flyer, France, 1908-1909
Wilbur Wright's many demonstration flights in France in 1908 and 1909 were spectacular events. Some in Europe had begun to doubt the Wrights' achievement at Kill Devil Hills. When Wilbur took to the skies over Le Mans, demonstrating more control and achieving more distance than his rivals, crowds flocked to watch his apparent mastery of the airplane. The skeptics were silenced.
- Wright Brothers Piloting Their 1902 Glider in 1903, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina - The Wright brothers' 1902 glider was their third aircraft tested at Kill Devil Hills in as many years. It was also the first built with aerodynamic calculations based on the Wrights' own wind tunnel tests. The improvements in performance were stunning. The brothers made more than 700 glides in 1902. Many were over 500 feet long, and some exceeded 600 feet.
- October 21, 1903
- Collections - Artifact
Wright Brothers Piloting Their 1902 Glider in 1903, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
The Wright brothers' 1902 glider was their third aircraft tested at Kill Devil Hills in as many years. It was also the first built with aerodynamic calculations based on the Wrights' own wind tunnel tests. The improvements in performance were stunning. The brothers made more than 700 glides in 1902. Many were over 500 feet long, and some exceeded 600 feet.
- Launching the 1902 Glider with Orville Wright Piloting, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina - The Wright brothers' 1902 glider was their third aircraft tested at Kill Devil Hills in as many years. It was also the first built with aerodynamic calculations based on the Wrights' own wind tunnel tests. The improvements in performance were stunning. The brothers made more than 700 glides in 1902. Many were over 500 feet long, and some exceeded 600 feet.
- October 01, 1902
- Collections - Artifact
Launching the 1902 Glider with Orville Wright Piloting, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
The Wright brothers' 1902 glider was their third aircraft tested at Kill Devil Hills in as many years. It was also the first built with aerodynamic calculations based on the Wrights' own wind tunnel tests. The improvements in performance were stunning. The brothers made more than 700 glides in 1902. Many were over 500 feet long, and some exceeded 600 feet.
- Bosch Type ARN Magneto, Used by Orville Wright at Fort Myer, Virginia, 1909 - Orville Wright used this magneto, which generated spark for his airplane's engine, during demonstration flights for the U.S. Army at Fort Myer, Virginia, in July 1909. Fort Myer represented tragedy and triumph. Orville was seriously injured, and passenger Thomas Selfridge was killed, during initial demonstrations there in September 1908. Ten months later, Orville returned and completed the demo flights successfully.
- July 30, 1909
- Collections - Artifact
Bosch Type ARN Magneto, Used by Orville Wright at Fort Myer, Virginia, 1909
Orville Wright used this magneto, which generated spark for his airplane's engine, during demonstration flights for the U.S. Army at Fort Myer, Virginia, in July 1909. Fort Myer represented tragedy and triumph. Orville was seriously injured, and passenger Thomas Selfridge was killed, during initial demonstrations there in September 1908. Ten months later, Orville returned and completed the demo flights successfully.
- Wilbur Wright and His First French Pupil, Comte de Lambert, Pau, France, 1909 - After his triumphant demonstration flights at Le Mans in the fall of 1908, Wilbur Wright relocated to Pau, in the south of France, for the winter. His brother Orville and sister Katharine soon joined him there. Wilbur made 64 flights at Pau in February and March of 1909. The Wrights attracted constant visits from monarchs, politicians, business tycoons, and reporters.
- 1909
- Collections - Artifact
Wilbur Wright and His First French Pupil, Comte de Lambert, Pau, France, 1909
After his triumphant demonstration flights at Le Mans in the fall of 1908, Wilbur Wright relocated to Pau, in the south of France, for the winter. His brother Orville and sister Katharine soon joined him there. Wilbur made 64 flights at Pau in February and March of 1909. The Wrights attracted constant visits from monarchs, politicians, business tycoons, and reporters.