0.05 Cubic feet (15 black and white 4 x 5 inch copy negatives)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Glass plate negatives
Place:
Kitty Hawk (N.C.)
Date:
October 20-26, 1911
Summary:
This collection consists of 15 black and white negatives, photographs created by photographer Percy Trenchard Jones of Orville Wright testing the Wright (Brothers) 1911 Glider at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in October 1911.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of 15 black and white 4 x 5 inch negatives copied by the Smithsonian Institution's National Air Museum in 1963 from original 5 x 7 inch glass plate negatives created by photographer Percy Trenchard Jones (likely when employed by the New York American newspaper) and loaned by the donor for copying. The photographs depict Orville Wright and his team testing the Wright (Brothers) 1911 Glider at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, during the period of October 20 to 26, 1911. People depicted in the photographs include Orville Wright, his brother Lorin Wright, Lorin's 10-year-old son Horace Wright (nicknamed "Buster"), English pilot Alexander (Alec) Ogilvie, unidentified Wright assistants, men from the local lifesaving station, and journalists sent to cover the flights. Identified journalists include Vann Ness Harwood of the New York World, Arnold Kruckman of the New York American, and John Mitchell of the Associated Press. Unidentified, but also believed to have been present were Mr. Mitchell from the New York Herald, Mr. Verges (or Berges, possibly from the American News Service), and D. Bruce Salley, a reporter from Norfolk, Virginia.
Arrangement:
Negatives are arranged in NAM negative number order (NAM A-52372 through A-52386). Negatives are physically located inside the National Air Museum Photography Collection, NASM.XXXX.0572, 8 x 10 Negatives Series.
Biographical / Historical:
In early October 1911, Orville Wright traveled to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, with his brother Lorin Wright, Lorin's 10-year-old son Horace Wright (nicknamed "Buster"), and Alexander (Alec) Ogilvie, an early British aviation pioneer and friend of the Wright brothers. Wilbur Wright, recently returned from Europe and busy with business issues, did not accompany his brothers on their trip. Their plan was to carry out more experiments with gliding and soaring flight and to test an automatic stabilizer design which the Wright Brothers had been developing since 1905. The Wright team constructed a new glider, the Wright (Brothers) 1911 Glider, on site at Kill Devil Hills, making several changes to the aircraft's design as the test flights proceeded. Orville Wright and his party had arrived at Kitty Hawk on October 10. On October 13, four journalists arrived, with two more (including Arnold Krockman from the New York American) showing up at the Wright's camp a week later on October 20. This intense scrutiny from the press—and uncooperatively high winds—led Orville to decide not to test the automatic stabilizer, instead concentrating on improving the glider's performance. On October 24, Orville made several successful flights including one establishing a new soaring record of 9 minutes 45 seconds, a flight which would stand as a world's record for the next 10 years. The 1911 glider's last flights were made on October 26; these would be the last experimental flights conducted by the Wrights at Kitty Hawk.
In the early 1910s, photographer Percy Trenchard Jones (1887-1948) worked as a journalist for the New York American newspaper before joining the Underwood News Photo Service branch of photography producer and distributor Underwood & Underwood (based in New York City); for many years Jones managed the Underwood & Underwood Studio in Washington, D.C. Jones left Underwood to form a news photo syndicate, Photograms, with two partners, but the business did not survive the Depression. Jones turned to photography of pure-bred dogs, a specialty which he would pursue throughout the rest of his career.
Provenance:
Frederic Lewis for Phyllis Jones (Mrs. Percy Trenchard Jones), gift, 1963 [NAM R-45-63], NASM.XXXX.1226.
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This collection consists of two newspapers put out by the printing firm of Orville and Wilbur Wright. Included here is one copy of volume 1, number 18, July 13, 1889 of West Side News, a weekly newspaper of which Wilbur was the editor and Orville the publisher. Also included is one copy of volume 1, number 5, November 17, 1894 of Snap-Shots at Current Events, another weekly newspaper. Both periodicals were put out by Wright and Wright printers, located in Dayton, Ohio. Also included is a June 22, 1954 letter from the Dayton Public Library concerning these two publications.
Biographical / Historical:
Before their historic part in the development of aircraft and before the establishment of their bicycle company, the Wright brothers were involved in the printing business. Beginning as a hobby, Orville Wright's interest in printing soon caught his brother Wilbur's attention, and in 1888 they established a printing company in Dayton, Ohio. The Wright brothers' printing firm produced local periodicals such as: The Midget, West Side News, The Dayton Tattler, church pamphlets, and bicycle parts catalogs. The Wright brothers sold their printing business in 1899.
Provenance:
C.G.B. Stuart, Gift, 1960
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Orville and Wilbur Wright were recipients of Aero Club of America medals in 1909. This collection consists of a scrapbook documenting the presentation of the awards.
Scope and Contents:
This scrapbook is one of three prepared by the Aero Club of America in honor of the presentation of the Aero Club of America medals to Orville and Wilbur Wright by President William Howard Taft. The book consist of photos, editorials, articles, and cartoons published on 16 June 1909, the day of the presentation, and given to the club for inclusion in the book. Also included are several copies of speeches made at the presentation as well as letters from ten governors and thirteen scientific bodies.
Note: Blank pages in scrapbook were not digitally reproduced in the slideshow. Any gaps in numbering are due to their omission.
Arrangement:
Collection is a single item.
Biographical / Historical:
Wilbur Wright was born April 16, 1867, his brother Orville Wright on August 19, 1871. They, along with sister Katharine and brothers Reuchlin and Lorin, were raised near Millville, Indiana and in Dayton, Ohio by their mother, Susan Wright, and father, Milton Wright, bishop of the United Brethren Church. As young men, Wilbur and Orville launched a printing business and a bicycle shop. An interest in aeronautics, spurred by the accounts of the experiments of Otto Lilienthal, prompted Wilbur to request information on the subject from the Smithsonian Institution in 1899. In August of 1900, Wilbur built his first glider and that year and the next the brothers tested gliders at Kitty Hawk. The Wrights constructed a wind tunnel to gather accurate aeronautical data and, benefiting from this new information, another glider was built in 1902. In 1903, the brothers were ready to began construction of a powered craft. With the assistance of mechanic Charles Taylor, they added a 4-cylinder, 12-horsepower engine and propellers to the 1903 Flyer and it was sent to Kitty Hawk for testing. At 10:35 am, December 17, on Kill Devil Hill, Orville achieved a flight of 12 seconds--traveling a distance of 120 feet. By 1908 the Wrights were demonstrating their machines in Europe. The U.S. Army Signal Corps advertised for bids for a two-seat observation aircraft and in 1908 and 1909, the Wrights flew at official Army trials at Fort Myer, Virginia. (It was here that powered flight's first fatality occurred: the tragic death of Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge.) The Army was to purchase the Military Flyer (Signal Corps No. 1) for $30,000 in 1909. In that same year, The Wright Company was established to manufacture Wright aircraft. Wilbur died in Dayton, Ohio on May 30, 1912. Orville Wright would live until January 30, 1948.
Provenance:
Aero Club of America, Gift, 1915, NASM.XXXX.0324.
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer) Search this
Extent:
1 Item (Ink on paper., 11.0" x 8.5")
Container:
Box 3, Folder 10
Type:
Archival materials
Correspondence
Date:
July 17, 1913
Scope and Contents:
Thank you note for the copies of "Chronolgy [sic] of Aviation." Duplicate, marked 900.
Local Numbers:
AC0069-0000013 (AC scan number)
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Genre/Form:
Correspondence
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer) Search this
Extent:
1 Item (Ink on paper., 7.1" x 7.3")
Container:
Box 3, Folder 10
Type:
Archival materials
Letters (correspondence)
Correspondence
Date:
July 17, 1913
Scope and Contents:
Acknowledgment for copies of "Chronolgy [sic] of Aviation." Photographic copy (?), cropped, marked 901.
Local Numbers:
AC0069-0000014 (AC scan number)
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
0.68 Cubic feet (1 legal document box; 1 20 x 24 x 3 flatbox; 1 slim legal document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Publications
Correspondence
Photographs
Drawings
Date:
1910-1955
bulk 1910-1912
Summary:
George W. Beatty (-1955) was an Early Bird, aviator, and instructor.
Scope and Contents:
The George W. Beatty Collection (accessions 1989-0013 and 1991-0069) contains approximately one cubic foot of material relating to the career of this pioneering aviator. The bulk of the material dates from 1910 to 1912 and includes an Early Birds plaque, several small banners from flying meets, and a 1928 letter from Orville Wright. The collection also includes correspondence, a great deal of photographic material, and scrapbooks.
Arrangement note:
Original order, when identified, has been maintained.
SERIES
Series in the collection are as follows:
Series I: Documentary Material
Series II: Photographic Material
Series III: Oversized Materials
Biographical/Historical note:
Born in 1887 or 1888 in Whitehouse, New Jersey, George W. Beatty was employed as a young man as a
linotype operator. He was shortly to enter the field that would define much of his life. In June of 1911 he enrolled at the Wright School at Nassau to be taught by Al Welsh. Soloing on July 23 of that year, he set a new two-man
American altitude record on the same day. Throughout that summer, Beatty would set several more records, in
altitude, weight-carrying and duration. On August 6, 1911, Beatty obtained license number 41 and subsequently
attended meets where he was to break several American and world records. Also in that year, he would become the
first to fly a plane in which air to ground communication was maintained throughout the flight.
Early in 1912, Beatty established a school on Long Island. Its proximity to New York allowed Beatty to
become the first person to land on Manhattan when he flew over the city and into Central Park. He would soon need to take his skills elsewhere, however. After the unfortunate death of Al Welsh, Beatty took the place of his former instructor at College Park, Maryland, testing aircraft for the government.
The next year, Beatty shipped his Wright plane to England. The aircraft had by now been equipped with a
GYRO seven-cylinder rotary motor. He formed a partnership with Handly-Page to establish a flying school at the
Hendon Aerodrome, outside of London. This venture was highly successful and was to produce over one thousand
fliers for the Royal Air Force. After the war, Beatty worked for a Parisian motorcycle manufacturer and remained in
Europe for nineteen years.
In later life, Beatty was to return to the field of his youth, working for the Hughes Printing Company. On
February 21, 1955, George W. Beatty, a member of the Early Birds and an outstanding figure in early aviation, passed away at 67.
George W. Beatty (-1955) was an Early Bird, aviator and instructor. After finishing school, Beatty became a mechanic and linotype operator. In 1909 he became interested in a New York gliding club and assisted in the construction of an unsuccessful home-built Santos-Dumont Demoiselle. In 1911 he entered the Wright Flying School and received his license in July of that year. He spent much of the remaining years before World War I carrying passengers, flying exhibitions, and instructing, both in England and the United States. In February 1914 he established a flying school at Hendon, near London, in cooperation with Handley Page and instructed military pilots during the war. Following the war he returned to the US and became superintendent of the Hughes Printing Company, where he remained until his death.
General note:
Other materials: Artifacts from this collection were transferred to the NASM Aeronautics Division; books were transferred to the NASM branch Library.
Provenance:
The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) received these materials in 1988, a donation from Louise
Beatty.
Louise Beatty, gift, 1988, 1991, 1989-0013, 1991-0069, NASM
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit and Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This collection consists of drawings of the 1903 Wright Flyer executed at various times during the life of the aircraft: Science Museum of London Drawings -- commissioned when the aircraft was on loan to the Museum; Ford Drawings -- sponsored by the Ford Motor Company which were supervised by Orville Wright and Charles Taylor; Christman Drawings -- drafted by Louis Christman who consulted with Orville Wright and other sources; and the National Air and Space Museum Drawings -- commissioned by the Museum during the 1985 restoration of the Wright 1903 Flyer. These drawings include three view drawings as well as both the airframe and engine components.
Biographical / Historical:
The Wright 1903 Flyer holds a special place in aviation history as the vehicle in which mankind first achieved controlled, powered, and sustained flight. The Wrights made no drawings of the aircraft when they originally built it and they continuously modified the craft during flight tests. The aircraft also underwent modifications due to damage suffered following its last flight, and the reconstruction work of 1916 and 1925-1927. Thus, there will always be some doubt about the exact configuration of the aircraft during the 1903 flights.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
NASM, Science Museum of London, Ford Museum, Gift/Transfer, 1986-0152, Some NASM
Restrictions:
Some restrictions on distribution.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection documents the history of College Park Airport, the conservation of the airport and the establishment of the museum on the airport grounds. The material includes correspondence, photographs, news clippings, a scrapbook, and other mixed media.
Biographical / Historical:
College Park Airport, in College Park, MD, is the oldest continually-operated airport in the world. Flight operations at College Park began in 1907 when the Wright Brothers gave flight instruction to United States Army Signal Corps personnel at the site. The airport continues to operate as a single-runway general aviation airport. The grounds also include a small museum and the site has been designated as a historic landmark. Fred C. Knauer was instrumental in the formation of committees to preserve the airport against encroachment by developers and to publicize the airport's historic nature.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Fred C. Knauer, gift, 1986, 1987-0087, unknown
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
There are 73 drawings including a 3 view assembly, front view, side view, top view and tail section as well as 22 drawings of wing details (including engine mounts, seats, etc.); 6 drawings of tail details; 7 drawings of horizontal stabilizer and bellcrank details; 5 drawings of rudder details; 8 drawings of landing gear, 2 drawings of front skid assembly; 13 drawings of control assembly; 4 drawings of radiator details and one drawing of the fuel tank.
Biographical / Historical:
The Wright Model B was a one-man machine built by Wilbur and Orville Wright to be used for exhibition work. With a maximum length of 31 feet, maximum breadth of 39 feet and supporting surface of 500 square feet, its total weight was 1250 lbs. including aviator and passenger. The Model B's motor was a 30-35 h.p. 4 cylinder one. This set of drawings was a bicentennial project done in 1976 by members of the drafting departments of Fairmont East and Fairmont West High Schools in Kettering, Ohio.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
No donor information, Gift, unknown, XXXX-0460, unknown
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests