BGuthrie Photos: DC -- Natl Air and Space Museum -- Gallery 209: (a) Wright Brothers and Invention of the Aerial Age

DC -- Natl Air and Space Museum -- Gallery 209: (a) Wright Brothers and Invention of the Aerial Age:

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. GAL209_101219_001.JPG: The invention of the airplane by Wilbur and Orville Wright is one of the great stories in American history. It entails the creation of a world-changing technology at the opening of an exciting new century, an era full of promise and confidence in the future. At the center of the tale are two talented, yet modest, Midwestern bicycle shop proprietors, whose inventive labors and achievement transformed them from respected small-town businessmen into international celebrities. The influence of their invention on the 20th century is beyond measure. The transport by air of goods and people, quickly and over great distances, and the military applications of flight technology have had global economic, geopolitical, and cultural impact. The Wrights' invention not only solved a long-studied technical problem, but also fashioned a radically new world. The exhibition explores who Wilbur and Orville Wright were, what they achieved, and how they did it, and the world's initial reaction to their revolutionary invention during the first decade of human flight.
2. GAL209_101219_020.JPG: 1903 Wright Flyer The 1903 Wright Flyer made four flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, the best covering 852 feet in 59 seconds. It was the first heavier-than-air, powered aircraft to make a sustained, controlled flight with a pilot aboard. The Wrights used their proven canard biplane configuration which was rooted in their initial 1899 kite design. Key to the Flyer's success was its three-axis control system, which featured wing-warping for lateral balance, a moveable rudder, and an elevator for pitch control. The right wing was four inches longer than the left to compensate for the engine being heavier than and mounted to the right of the pilot. The wings were rigged with a slight droop to reduce the effects of crosswinds. This is the Real Wright Flyer: Many reproductions of the Wright Flyer have been made, but this is the actual airplane built and flown by the Wright brothers in 1903. The fabric covering was replaced by the Museum in 1985, hence the newer appearance.
3. GAL209_101219_065.JPG: 1900 Wright glider (reproduction) The 1900 glider was the Wrights' first piloted aircraft. First flight-tested at Kitty Hawk in the fall of that year, it incorporated the wire-braced biplane structure and wing-warping control system they developed with their 1899 kite.
4. GAL209_101219_096.JPG: 1902 Wright glider (reproduction) Compared to their previous gliders, the Wrights' 1902 glider had a much thinner airfoil and longer and narrower wings, which their wind tunnel tests had shown to be more efficient. To improve lateral control, they added a fixed vertical rudder to the rear of the glider. They retained the reliable forward elevator for pitch control but made it elliptical in shape.
5. GAL209_101219_106.JPG: Original Propeller from the Wright Flyer: This is one of the propellers used on the Wright Flyer during its historic flights on December 17, 1903. The propeller and airplane were damaged after the final flight that day. The propellers now on the Flyer are original Wright propellers made at a later time.
6. GAL209_101219_126.JPG: Orville carried this pocket watch while making the first flight
7. GAL209_101219_134.JPG: The famous telegram from the Wright brothers to their father was sent from Kitty Hawk with this telegraph key.
8. GAL209_101219_138.JPG: Kitty Hawk N C Dec 17 Bishop W Wright 7 Hawthorne St. Success four flights Thursday morning all against twenty one mile wind started from Level with engine power alone average speed through air thirty one miles longest 57 seconds inform Press home Christmas. Orevelle [sic] Wright Message Home: After the flights, the Wrights sent home this telegram to their father confirming their success. It mistakenly states the longest flight as 57 seconds and misspells Orville's name.
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Description of Subject Matter: The Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age
October 11, 2003 – March 27, 2022
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' historic first flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, this exhibition presents the Wrights' technical achievements and examines the cultural impact of early powered flight. The centerpiece of the gallery is the original 1903 Wright Flyer, displayed on the ground for the first time since the Smithsonian acquired it in 1948. Also on view are 250 photographs and 150 other artifacts, including the stop watch used to time the first powered flights, a Wright wind tunnel test instrument used in unlocking the secrets of aerodynamics, a reproduction of the Wright Brothers' 1899 experimental kite, and full-size reproductions of their 1900 and 1902 experimental gliders.
Hands-on stations and interactive computer stations: both provide an understanding of flight
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Directly Related Pages: Other pages with content (DC -- Natl Air and Space Museum -- Gallery 209: (a) The Wright Brothers and Invention of the Aerial Age) directly related to this one: [Display ALL photos on one page]:
- 2013_DC_SIAIR_Gall209A: DC -- Natl Air and Space Museum -- Gallery 209: (a) Wright Brothers and Invention of the Aerial Age (24 photos from 2013)
- 2012_DC_SIAIR_Gall209A: DC -- Natl Air and Space Museum -- Gallery 209: (a) Wright Brothers and Invention of the Aerial Age (3 photos from 2012)
- 2005_DC_SIAIR_Gall209A: DC -- Natl Air and Space Museum -- Gallery 209: (a) Wright Brothers and Invention of the Aerial Age (5 photos from 2005)
- 2003_DC_SIAIR_Gall209A: DC -- Natl Air and Space Museum -- Gallery 209: (a) Wright Brothers and Invention of the Aerial Age (17 photos from 2003)
Same Subject: Click on this link to see coverage of items having the same subject: [(Smithsonian) Air and Space Museum (Everything)] [(Smithsonian) Air and Space Museum (Non-Events)] [Museums (History)]
2010 photos: Equipment this year: I mostly used the Fuji S100fs until the third one broke and I started sending them back for repairs. Then I used either the Fuji S200EHX or the Nikon D90 until I got the S100fs ones repaired. At the end of the year I bought a Nikon D5000 but I returned it pretty quickly. Trips this year: Civil War Trust conferences (Lexington, KY and Nashville, TN), and my 5th consecutive San Diego Comic-Con trip (including Los Angeles). My office at the main Commerce Department building closed in October and I was shifted out to the Bureau of the Census in Suitland Maryland. It's good to have a job of course but that killed being able to see basically any cultural events during the day. There's basically nothing of interest that you can see around the Census building. Number of photos taken this year: about 395,000..
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