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- The Wright Flyer on the Ground near the 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
The Wright Flyer on the Ground near the 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.
- Wilbur Wright Piloting the Wright Flyer, France, 1908-1909 - Worried that rivals would steal their yet-to-be patented designs, the Wright brothers stopped flying publicly for nearly three years in late 1905. People began to doubt that the Wrights had ever flown. Skeptics were silenced in August 1908 when Wilbur Wright made a series of spectacular demonstration flights at Le Mans, France, achieving more distance and control than anyone else.

- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Wilbur Wright Piloting the Wright Flyer, France, 1908-1909
Worried that rivals would steal their yet-to-be patented designs, the Wright brothers stopped flying publicly for nearly three years in late 1905. People began to doubt that the Wrights had ever flown. Skeptics were silenced in August 1908 when Wilbur Wright made a series of spectacular demonstration flights at Le Mans, France, achieving more distance and control than anyone else.
- Preparing for a Demonstration Flight of the Wright Flyer, France, 1908-1909 - Wilbur Wright made his successful French demonstration flights in what was later designated a Wright Model A airplane. The Model A featured several improvements over the Wright brothers' earlier planes. It allowed the pilot to sit upright, rather than lay down, while in flight. It also included a passenger seat, letting Wilbur take dignitaries and would-be customers into the sky with him.

- 1908-1909
- Collections - Artifact
Preparing for a Demonstration Flight of the Wright Flyer, France, 1908-1909
Wilbur Wright made his successful French demonstration flights in what was later designated a Wright Model A airplane. The Model A featured several improvements over the Wright brothers' earlier planes. It allowed the pilot to sit upright, rather than lay down, while in flight. It also included a passenger seat, letting Wilbur take dignitaries and would-be customers into the sky with him.
- The Wright Flyer on the Ground near the 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
The Wright Flyer on the Ground near the 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.
- 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.
- 6,000th B-24 Bomber at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Plant, September 9, 1944 - Mass producing B-24 bombers during World War II was no easy feat -- not even for the company that invented modern mass production. But Ford Motor Company was building one airplane every 63 minutes at its Willow Run plant by March 1944. Ford produced its 6,000th B-24 that September. Another 2,685 were built before production ended in May 1945.

- September 09, 1944
- Collections - Artifact
6,000th B-24 Bomber at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Plant, September 9, 1944
Mass producing B-24 bombers during World War II was no easy feat -- not even for the company that invented modern mass production. But Ford Motor Company was building one airplane every 63 minutes at its Willow Run plant by March 1944. Ford produced its 6,000th B-24 that September. Another 2,685 were built before production ended in May 1945.
- 6,000th B-24 Bomber at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Plant, September 9, 1944 - Mass producing B-24 bombers during World War II was no easy feat -- not even for the company that invented modern mass production. But Ford Motor Company was building one airplane every 63 minutes at its Willow Run plant by March 1944. Ford produced its 6,000th B-24 that September. Another 2,685 were built before production ended in May 1945.

- September 09, 1944
- Collections - Artifact
6,000th B-24 Bomber at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Plant, September 9, 1944
Mass producing B-24 bombers during World War II was no easy feat -- not even for the company that invented modern mass production. But Ford Motor Company was building one airplane every 63 minutes at its Willow Run plant by March 1944. Ford produced its 6,000th B-24 that September. Another 2,685 were built before production ended in May 1945.
- 6,000th B-24 Bomber at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Plant, September 9, 1944 - Mass producing B-24 bombers during World War II was no easy feat -- not even for the company that invented modern mass production. But Ford Motor Company was building one airplane every 63 minutes at its Willow Run plant by March 1944. Ford produced its 6,000th B-24 that September. Another 2,685 were built before production ended in May 1945.

- September 09, 1944
- Collections - Artifact
6,000th B-24 Bomber at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Plant, September 9, 1944
Mass producing B-24 bombers during World War II was no easy feat -- not even for the company that invented modern mass production. But Ford Motor Company was building one airplane every 63 minutes at its Willow Run plant by March 1944. Ford produced its 6,000th B-24 that September. Another 2,685 were built before production ended in May 1945.
- 6,000th B-24 Bomber at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Plant, September 9, 1944 - Mass producing B-24 bombers during World War II was no easy feat -- not even for the company that invented modern mass production. But Ford Motor Company was building one airplane every 63 minutes at its Willow Run plant by March 1944. Ford produced its 6,000th B-24 that September. Another 2,685 were built before production ended in May 1945.

- September 09, 1944
- Collections - Artifact
6,000th B-24 Bomber at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Plant, September 9, 1944
Mass producing B-24 bombers during World War II was no easy feat -- not even for the company that invented modern mass production. But Ford Motor Company was building one airplane every 63 minutes at its Willow Run plant by March 1944. Ford produced its 6,000th B-24 that September. Another 2,685 were built before production ended in May 1945.