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- Preparing the Wright Flyer's Launching Derrick, France, 1908-1909 - The Wright brothers' early airplanes had no wheels, just simple landing skids. To achieve takeoff, they devised a clever catapult system. The airplane was attached, with cables and pulleys, to a weight suspended in a tower. When the weight fell, it pulled the plane along a wooden rail fast enough to generate the necessary lift.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Preparing the Wright Flyer's Launching Derrick, France, 1908-1909
The Wright brothers' early airplanes had no wheels, just simple landing skids. To achieve takeoff, they devised a clever catapult system. The airplane was attached, with cables and pulleys, to a weight suspended in a tower. When the weight fell, it pulled the plane along a wooden rail fast enough to generate the necessary lift.
- Positioning the Wright Flyer on the Launch Rail, France, 1908-1909 - The Wright brothers' early airplanes had no wheels, just simple landing skids. To achieve takeoff, they devised a clever catapult system. The airplane was attached, with cables and pulleys, to a weight suspended in a tower. When the weight fell, it pulled the plane along a wooden rail fast enough to generate the necessary lift.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Positioning the Wright Flyer on the Launch Rail, France, 1908-1909
The Wright brothers' early airplanes had no wheels, just simple landing skids. To achieve takeoff, they devised a clever catapult system. The airplane was attached, with cables and pulleys, to a weight suspended in a tower. When the weight fell, it pulled the plane along a wooden rail fast enough to generate the necessary lift.
- Two Seat Bollee Automobile, 1900-1910 - Leon Bollee Automobiles was established in Le Mans, France, in 1895 and produced vehicles until 1931. The company's founder and namesake, Leon Bollee, made another significant contribution to transportation history. He befriended Wilbur Wright during Wright's successful demonstration flights near Le Mans in 1908. Bollee offered Wright the use of his factory and mechanics for the duration of the flights.
- circa 1900-circa 1910
- Collections - Artifact
Two Seat Bollee Automobile, 1900-1910
Leon Bollee Automobiles was established in Le Mans, France, in 1895 and produced vehicles until 1931. The company's founder and namesake, Leon Bollee, made another significant contribution to transportation history. He befriended Wilbur Wright during Wright's successful demonstration flights near Le Mans in 1908. Bollee offered Wright the use of his factory and mechanics for the duration of the flights.
- Calculating and Printing Machine, circa 1900 - Leon Bollee manufactured automobiles in France from 1895 until his death in 1913. He also invented a series of mechanical calculating machines -- forerunners of the electric calculator. Bollee made an important contribution to aviation when he provided Wilbur Wright with workspace and a crew of mechanics for Wright's successful airplane demonstrations at Le Mans, France, in 1908.
- circa 1900
- Collections - Artifact
Calculating and Printing Machine, circa 1900
Leon Bollee manufactured automobiles in France from 1895 until his death in 1913. He also invented a series of mechanical calculating machines -- forerunners of the electric calculator. Bollee made an important contribution to aviation when he provided Wilbur Wright with workspace and a crew of mechanics for Wright's successful airplane demonstrations at Le Mans, France, in 1908.
- Calculating and Printing Machine, Made by Leon Bollee, France, circa 1900 - Leon Bollee manufactured automobiles in France from 1895 until his death in 1913. He also invented a series of mechanical calculating machines -- forerunners of the electric calculator. Bollee made an important contribution to aviation when he provided Wilbur Wright with workspace and a crew of mechanics for Wright's successful airplane demonstrations at Le Mans, France, in 1908.
- circa 1900
- Collections - Artifact
Calculating and Printing Machine, Made by Leon Bollee, France, circa 1900
Leon Bollee manufactured automobiles in France from 1895 until his death in 1913. He also invented a series of mechanical calculating machines -- forerunners of the electric calculator. Bollee made an important contribution to aviation when he provided Wilbur Wright with workspace and a crew of mechanics for Wright's successful airplane demonstrations at Le Mans, France, in 1908.
- Bollee Automobile Hoisted onto Its Back Wheels, 1900-1910 - Leon Bollee Automobiles was established in Le Mans, France, in 1895 and produced vehicles until 1931. The company's founder and namesake, Leon Bollee, made another significant contribution to transportation history. He befriended Wilbur Wright during Wright's successful demonstration flights near Le Mans in 1908. Bollee offered Wright the use of his factory and mechanics for the duration of the flights.
- circa 1900-circa 1910
- Collections - Artifact
Bollee Automobile Hoisted onto Its Back Wheels, 1900-1910
Leon Bollee Automobiles was established in Le Mans, France, in 1895 and produced vehicles until 1931. The company's founder and namesake, Leon Bollee, made another significant contribution to transportation history. He befriended Wilbur Wright during Wright's successful demonstration flights near Le Mans in 1908. Bollee offered Wright the use of his factory and mechanics for the duration of the flights.
- Man Driving a Bollee Three-Wheeled Automobile, 1900-1910 - Leon Bollee Automobiles was established in Le Mans, France, in 1895 and produced vehicles until 1931. The company's founder and namesake, Leon Bollee, made another significant contribution to transportation history. He befriended Wilbur Wright during Wright's successful demonstration flights near Le Mans in 1908. Bollee offered Wright the use of his factory and mechanics for the duration of the flights.
- circa 1900-circa 1910
- Collections - Artifact
Man Driving a Bollee Three-Wheeled Automobile, 1900-1910
Leon Bollee Automobiles was established in Le Mans, France, in 1895 and produced vehicles until 1931. The company's founder and namesake, Leon Bollee, made another significant contribution to transportation history. He befriended Wilbur Wright during Wright's successful demonstration flights near Le Mans in 1908. Bollee offered Wright the use of his factory and mechanics for the duration of the flights.
- Crowd Gathered to Watch a Balloon Launch, circa 1900 - Leon Bollee, an automobile manufacturer based in Le Mans, France, also had a deep interest in aviation. He was a sport balloonist and served as president of the Aero-Club de la Sarthe -- a regional aviation organization. Bollee formed an important friendship with Wilbur Wright when Wright staged his successful demonstration flights near Le Mans in 1908.
- circa 1900
- Collections - Artifact
Crowd Gathered to Watch a Balloon Launch, circa 1900
Leon Bollee, an automobile manufacturer based in Le Mans, France, also had a deep interest in aviation. He was a sport balloonist and served as president of the Aero-Club de la Sarthe -- a regional aviation organization. Bollee formed an important friendship with Wilbur Wright when Wright staged his successful demonstration flights near Le Mans in 1908.
- Interior of the Hangar at Camp d'Auvours, near Le Mans, France, 1908-1909 - Just as he and his brother had done in North Carolina earlier in the decade, Wilbur Wright used a simple wooden hangar as his base of operations during his demonstration flights in France in 1908-1909. In addition to a workbench and tools for the airplane, the hangar included cooking utensils and a pantry stocked with canned goods.
- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Interior of the Hangar at Camp d'Auvours, near Le Mans, France, 1908-1909
Just as he and his brother had done in North Carolina earlier in the decade, Wilbur Wright used a simple wooden hangar as his base of operations during his demonstration flights in France in 1908-1909. In addition to a workbench and tools for the airplane, the hangar included cooking utensils and a pantry stocked with canned goods.
- 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.