The most relatable aircraft  in our collection is our reproduction of the famous 1903 Wright Flyer, the first successful airplane to carry a person aloft. Built in 1979 by the Valentine Aero Company, our reproduction was one of the earlier additions after a fire destroyed our Museum in 1978.  After being on display for several decades, the Flyer has undergone extensive restoration at our Gillespie field annex until being recently returned to our main museum. 

Assembly of our Wright Flyer in the newly re-opened Museum.

This photo of our Wright Flyer reproduction was taken in 1982.   The "Vin Fiz" can be seen in the background.

Prior to the restoration of our Wright Flyer, each part was labeled and documented so that it would be easier to put it back together again.

The ribs off the Wright Flyer after the reproduction was disassembled.

Although the 1903 Flyer in the most iconic Wright aircraft, our Museum has two other reproductions that were both very important to the quest for flight.  The Wrights designed three gilders to test their aerodynamic theories: a 1900, 1901, and 1902 version.  With each subsequent model, these theories became more refined and, eventually they led to the creation of the motorized Wright Flyer.  Their 1901 glider was a larger version of the 1900 one, and both were test flown in North Carolina.  And extensive history of the 1901 Glider can be found here.

The Museum's 1901 Gilder.

Testing the original 1901 Glider.

The next step towards flight would occur when the Wrights added a vertical control rudder onto their glider, which we also have a reproduction in our Museum.  The 1901 glider is often considered to be the world’s first practical aircraft.

The Museum's 1902 Glider.

The original 1902 Glider in action.

Even less known than the Gliders is the fact that the Wright Brothers experimented with kites before making any flying machines.  Wilbur Wright wanted to know if a flying machine could be turned by twisting its wings and built a kit to test this theroy.  The kite proved that "wing wrapping" as it later was called, could indeed turn a glider or airplane. 

The Museum has an accurate reproduction of the Wright Brothers kite in out collection.

The Wright Brothers went on to build aircraft several other aircraft, and eventually formed the Wright Company in 1909.  Their most successful version was the Wright Model B, with around 100 being built, most under contract.  A modified B, designated the Wright EX, was the first aircraft to cross America.  Dubbed the “Vin Fiz” because of the grape drink that sponsored pilot Cal Rodgers daring adventure in the Wright plane. Our Museum has a reproduction of the Vin Fiz, that eventually made it across the country, after over two and a half months and 12 crashes.  Unfortunately, Wilbur would die a few months after this flight, in May of 1912.  

Rodgers inspects the Vin Fiz after one of his many crack ups.

Our Vin Fiz reproduction after being cleaned up at our Gillespie Field Annex.

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