Orville Wright, October 1911
ORVILLE WRIGHT AND THE 1911 GLIDER.
Group of 4 black and white photographs, 4½ x 6½ inches, each with P-J Press Bureau inkstamp on verso.

In October of 1911, Orville Wright returned to Kill Devil Hills with his brother Lorin and his English friend Alec Ogilvie. He had developed a new glider, and wanted to try out an automatic control system, but thought better of it when he saw the reporters present. The glider had what is now considered a 'conventional tailplane' rather than the front-mounted elevator, and the pilot sat in a seat rather than lying on his stomach as in earlier Wright gliders. On October 24, Orville flew for 9 minutes 45 seconds, breaking the brothers' previous 1903 record, and setting a standard that would last for almost a decade.
Comprising: Orville using a rangefinder to measure the course; he and Ogilvie making adjustments to the glider; the glider in flight, with spectators below.
Estimate:
US$ 2,000 - 3,000
£1,300 - 2,000
€1,600 - 2,300

Category: Space / Space History


Auction terms and conditions

Contacts

Matthew Haley Bonhams
Work
Montpelier Street
London, SW7 1HH
United Kingdom
Work +44 20 7393 3817
Specialist - Space History