Wilbur Wright in Europe in 1909

[MKopack]

Here is a film clip from the Austrian national archives of the Wright Brothers demonstrating their plane in Italy in 1909. What is even more fantastic is there was an on-board camera on the Wright plane and the last part of this film shows it. It's crystal clear, and apparently the first in flight footage taken - anywhere.

Wilbur Wright is at the controls on both of the flights.

http://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/PY/322/fiche_technique.htm?ID=322 ://http://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/P...que.htm?ID=322 ://http://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/P...que.htm?ID=322

Talk about a heritage flight...

Mike

Edited March 9, 2009 by MKopack

[MCO]

That was pretty cool.

[HercDude]

That was pretty cool.

So every month was Mustache March back then?

[MKopack]

So every month was Mustache March back then?

And they're rockin' it with style...

It was also great to see the inflight film (which had to be quite a feat in teself, as the cameras of that age were neither small, nor light). It was also interesting to see the kite's "controlability" as the elevator moves and the way they 'porpoise' through the air. The airplane also seems to slideslip through the turns rather than the 'bank and pull' that we're used to - check out the yaw string... (maybe an effect of the wing-warping that the Wright Brothers used, rather than ailerons; or the fact that they're probably only going 40mph and probably on the constant verge of a stall...)

Mike

Edited March 9, 2009 by MKopack

[FourFans]

I think I spotted M2 sporting a nicely trimmed vandyke beard in the middle there somewhere!