Year: 1908

January 18. Wrights supply information on their airplane and flights to Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge, secretary of the Aerial Experiment Association, Hammondsport, N.Y., who had requested technical data in a letter of January 15.

January 20. Orville goes to Springfield to consult Harry A. Toulmin on Wright patents.

January 22. Orville goes to Canton, Ohio, to witness balloon ascension by Lt. Frank Pl. Lahm, returning on January 23.

January 27. French Wright patents Nos. 384,124 and 384,125 applied for November 18, 1907 issued.

Wrights submit bid to U.S. Signal Corps to furnish a heavier-than-air flying machine designed to weigh between 1,100 and 1,250 lbs. With two men on board, and for a speed of 40 miles an hour, to be delivered in 200 days.

February 8. Wrights’ bid to furnish a flying machine t the U.S. War Department for $25,000 is accepted.

February 10. Wrights apply for patent on device for maintaining automatic stability (issued October 14, 1913 – their patent No. 1,075,533).

First formal Army airplane contract signed by U.S. signal Corps with Wright brothers, with Capt. Charles S. Wallace signing on behalf of Signal corps and Orville for the brothers. Wrights agree to deliver for $25,000 by August 28, 1908 a heavier-than-air flying machine meeting U.S. Signal Corps Specification No. 486, dated December 23, 1907.

February 17. Wrights apply for two additional flying machine patents, their patent No. 987,662 granted on March 21, 1911, and their patent No. 1,122,348 granted on December 29, 1914.

February 29. Scientific American publishes article by Wilbur entitled “Fling as a Sport – Its Possibilities,” which as contributed to a “Sportsman’s Number” of the magazine.

 March. Orville works on new four-cylinder vertical motor.

March 15. Wilbur goes to New York, returning to Dayton on March 20, to discuss with Flint & co. the terms of a new French contract for the formation of French Wright company. This provided for a syndicate to be formed by Lazare Weiller, with other French capitalists, to buy the Wrights French patents and the rights to manufacture, sell, or license Wright airplanes in France.

L’Auto reports that the Wright brothers have signed a contract with French firm Bariquand & Marre for seven 40-hp engines.

March 23. Lazare Weiller agrees to contract with Wrights for formation of company in France.

The conditions specified included an agreement to execute twice a minimum flight of 50 kilometers an hour. The second flight was to be made, at the earliest, three days after the first. Orville and Wilbur were to receive 2,500 shares, each, of the founders shares. Orville disposed of these shares in September 1920 for $1,800.

April 4. Wright 1904 airplane shipped to Kitty Hawk to be sued by Wrights for practice fling and in renewing their pilot skills, as they had done no flying since 1905.

April 6. Wilbur leaves for Kitty Hawk, arriving there April 9.

April 10. Public announcement of Wright brothers’ contract with Lazare Weiller is made in L’Auto.

April 15. Charles W. Furnas, Wright mechanic, arrives at Kitty Hawk to assist Wrights in their experiments.

April 21. Orville leaves for Kitty Hawk, arriving there April 25. Wright machine arrives the same day.

April 25. Wilbur, with assistance of Charles Furnas, completes new building, begun April 20, to be used for living quarters during 1908 experiments.

April 27. Wrights unpack and begin assembly of their airplane.

May 1. French aviation magazine L’Aerophile publishes description of Wright airplane, based on drawings filed with Wright patent Nos. 384,124 and 384, 125 in French patent office.

Norfolk Virginian Pilot carries exaggerated story concerning the Wright brothers, reporting they had flown 10 miles to sea and returned and had done a lot of maneuvering over the ground. New York Herald telegraphs the Weather Bureau at Manteo, N.C., for information.

May 5. Wrights visited by D. Bruce Salley, free lance reporter from Norfolk, Va., who had arrived at Manteo on May 4 and had been instructed to report on sensational flights reportedly carried out several days ago.

May 6. Wrights fly for first time in 1908. Wilbur flying a distance of 1,008 feet at average speed of 41 miles, the first of a series of 22 flights carried out May 6 – 14 with their 1905 machine modified so that the operator and a passenger could sit erect.

May 7. D. Bruce Salley’s dispatch of May 6 from Norfolk, reporting that the Wright brothers had flown almost 1,000 feet at an altitude of 60 feet, published in New York Herald.

May 14. Wrights carry a passenger for the first time, Wilbur making a flight of about 600 meters in 28 3/5 seconds, with Charles W. Furnas of Dayton aboard, and Orville another with Furnas, making a complete circle and covering a distance of 2 1/2 miles (4,120 meters) in four minutes 2 2/5 seconds.

This and other flights in May were witnessed from a distance by a group of newspaper correspondents, including Byron r. Newton, of the New York Herald, William Hoster, of the New York American, P. H. McGowan, of the London Daily Mail, Arthur Ruhl, writer, and James H. Hare, photographer, for Collier’s Weekly, and by the men of the Kill Devil Hill Life Saving Station and others in the area.

May 17. Wilbur leaves Kitty Hawk, en route to Europe, without returning to Dayton, arriving in new York on May 19 and consulting with Flint & Co. on May 20.

May 20. Wilbur writes to Orville, declaring that “We need to have our true story told in an authentic way at once,” which subsequently leads to Orville’s article furnished to the Century Magazine and published in September.

May 21. Wilbur sails from New York for Paris aboard steamship La Touraine, arriving May 29 to demonstrate capabilities of Wright machine in Europe.

May 23. Orville arrives in Dayton from Kitty Hawk, stopping in Washington, D.C., en rout to inspect grounds at Ft. Myer.

Scientific American reports on Wright flights at Kitty Hawk, May 6 – 14, and states that “In view of these semi-public demonstrations, there can be no further doubt of the claims made by the brothers as to their ability to fly.”

May 29. New York Herald publishes for first time detailed drawings and description of Wright airplane from drawings and description filed with French Patent Office when patent application was made.

May 30. Arthur Ruhl’s account of May flights of Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, illustrated with photographs by James Hare, published in Collier’s Weekly.

June 3. Orville releases account of Wright May 1908 flights at Kitty Hawk to Aero Club of America and four technical journals.

This account as published in Aeronautics (New York), June issue; Scientific American, June 13 issue; L’Aerophile, June 15 issue; and Illustrierte Aeronautishe Mitteilungen, July issue.

June 5. Wright engine and airplane shopped from Kitty Hawk arrives back in Dayton.

June 6 – August 5. Wright engine tested and airplane worked on by Orville preparatory to shipping it to Washington for Army trials.

June 8. Wilbur and Hart O. Berg, seeking a suitable flying ground, go to le Mans, located about 125 miles southwest of Paris, at invitation of Leon Bollee, factory owner who offers Wilbur use of facilities to set up his machine.

June 12. Berg informs Wilbur that the Hunaudieres Race Course at Le Mans has been rented from Count Roger de Nicolay, president of the Jockey Club and principal owner of the race course, at a monthly rental and a share of the gate receipts if exhibition flights are staged there.

June 15. Orville travels to Springfield to discuss Wright patents with Harry A. Toulmin.

June 16. Wilbur arrives at Le Mans to commence trial flights. Cases containing Wright airplane arrive, are taken to Leon Bollee’s shop and opened, disclosing considerable damage occurring en route due to improper packing.

June 20 – August 8. Wilbur assembles Wright airplane and tests engine preparatory flight to first flight at Le Mans.

June 22. Orville completes and send article setting forth their aeronautical achievements to date to Century Magazine, for which he is paid $500.

July – August. Orville, assisted by Charles E. Taylor, works on construction of parts for five Wright machines for delivery to Wilbur in France.

July 3. Wilbur spends day in Paris with Frank S. Lahm, discussing past and future of flying, and returns to Le Mans in the evening.

July 4. Wilbur burned on left arm by escaping steam from broken water connection in engine while testing his flying machine.

July 15. Wrights apply for patent on mechanism for flexing the rudder of a flying machine, which was granted on January 5, 1909 (their patent No. 908,929).

July 20. Orville writes Glenn H. Curtiss that ailerons used in Curtiss June Bug are an infringement on Wright warping patents.

July 26. Wilbur, accompanied by Rene Pellier and Leon Carre, makes a second balloon ascension in a spherical balloon, Au Petit Bonheur, recently purchased and piloted by Leon Bollee at Le Mans.

July 29. Wilbur and Orville elected honorary member of Aeronautic society, New York.

August 8. Wilbur finishes assembling machine and makes a flight of one minutes 45 seconds at an estimated speed of 55 kilometers per hour using stick control for first time, at the Hunaudieres Race Course.

Wilbur reserves rights to photographs of his first flight to Century Magazine. Other photographers are not permitted to take close-up photographs. Flight is witnessed by large crowd, majority from le Mans and nearby countryside, as well as by many members of Aero-Club de France and a number of newspaper representatives from Paris.

This as the first flight made by the Wrights in Europe and the first of nine made at the Hunaudieres race Course, August 8, 10 – 13.

August 13. Wilbur makes last flights a Hunaudieres Race Course, flying for eight minutes 13 2/5 seconds and for two minutes 20 seconds. A wing of his machine is damaged on landing on this last flight, prompting his decision to move to a larger field.

August 16. Wilbur, accompanied by Hart O. Berg, is guest a luncheon in his honor given by Baron Paul d’Estournelles de Constant, senator for the Departement de la Sarthe, at Chateau Clermont, near La Fleche.

 Wright engine and airplane parts packed and shipped to Fort Myer, Va., for forthcoming Signal Corps trials by Orville.

August 18. Wilbur completes repairs to damaged machine and transports it to Camp d’Auvours.

August 19. Orville leaves for Washington, D. C. and arrives there the next day with the Wright 1908 machine to be used in flights in fulfillment of Wright Army contract.

August 21. Wilbur resumes flying a new location, Camp d’Auvours, seven miles east of Le Mans, making flights of one minute 49 1/5 seconds and two minutes 14 seconds.

This was the first of an extensive series of flights at Camp d’Auvours, lasting through December 31 in which Wilbur continually increased the length and altitude of his flights, carried passengers, trained pilots, established new flight recorded, and brought numerous prizes and honors to the Wrights.

August 22. Orville attends banquet at National Press Club in Washington at which the Balloonist Thomas s. Baldwin was guest of honor.

August 22 – September 2. Wright airplane at Fort Myer is unpacked, assembled, and engine tested. Starting track, with wooden tower for hoisting the catapult weight, prepared and wooden shelter for machine constructed. Tent set up which serves as office for contractor.

August 23. Wilbur honored at banquet given by Agricultural Society in La Fleche. He is presented with the Universal Peace Society bronze medal and accepts a similar one in behalf of Orville.

At invitation of Dr. Albert F. Zahm, Orville moves from St. James Hotel in Washington to Cosmos Club.

August 25. Wilbur guest of honor at banquet given by Lazare Weiller at Hotel du Dauphin in Le Mans. Other guest include M. d’Auriac Prefect of the Department de la Sarthe, Gen. Georges A. Bazaine – Hayter, Baron Paul d’Estournelles de Constant, Leon Bollee, Rene Pellier, vice president of the Aero-Club de la Sarthe, and representatives of the press. Aviators present included Henri Farman, Henry Kapferer, Marcel Kapferer, Paul Zens, and Ernest Zens.

August 27. Wright airplane assembled at fort Myer and ready for testing.

August 29. Scientific American publishes detailed photographs and description of Wright airplane.

The account was continued in the September 26^th issue of the magazine and as based largely on Orville’s article in the September issue of the Century Magazine. Though it appears under joint authorship, the article was entirely the work of Orville.

September 1. Wilbur sends cablegram from Le Mans to Chicago Daily News denying reports that he planned to fly across English Channel. He states that his primary purpose is to meet the conditions stipulated by the French company seeking to buy the Wright airplane. He says further that the huge crowds witnessing flights have prevented a record-breaking distance record up to this time.

September 3. In preparation for forthcoming trials in fulfilling Army contract, Orville makes first flight at Fort Myer, Va., near Washington, D.C., a flight of one minute 11 seconds, in which he circled the field 1 1/2 times.

This was the first of a series of 14 flights, many of which established records, extending through September 17.

September 5. Wilbur is guest at dinner at Chateau-de-Loir. Attending the dinner are Mr. and Mrs. Hart O. Berg, Paul Tissandier, Paul Zens, and Ernest Zens.

September 6. Wilbur is visited by French balloonists Paul and Ernest Zens and Paul Tissandier who travel in small balloon from gas works at Le Mans, descend on artillery grounds, and land 20 yards from Wilbur’s airplane shed.

September 9. Orville establishes three new records by making a flight of 57 minutes 31 seconds in which he circled the field 57 times, a flight of one hour two minutes 15 seconds in which he circled the field 55 times, and a flight of six minutes 24 seconds with Lt. Frank P. Lahm as passenger. The last flight of the day lasted until after dusk and was probably the first night airplane flight. Flights witnessed by Secretary of War Luke W. Wright, Secretary of Commerce and Labor Oscar S. Straus, and other high-ranking government officials.

September 10. Orville flies one hour five minutes 52 seconds and rises to an estimated altitude of 200 feet, breaking the record of the previous day.

Dayton Mayor Edward E. Burkhart sends Orville letter of congratulation from city of Dayton on his record-breaking flight at Fort Myer on September 9.

September 11. Orville flies one hour 10 minutes 24 seconds, another duration record, circling the field 57 1/2 times and describing two figure eights, the first seen at Ft. Myer.

September 12. Orville establishes two new records, flying for nine minutes 6 1/3 seconds with Maj. George O. Squier, a new passenger record, and flying one hour 14 minutes 20 seconds, circling the field 71 times and attaining a maximum altitude of about 300 feet, a new duration record and the longest 1908 flight made by Orville.

September 14. Crowd estimated at 5,000, largest to date, comes to Camp d’Auvours to witness flights by Wilbur, but engine trouble prevents any flying. Visitors include Count A. D. Economos, Louis Bleriot, Frank S. Lahm, Auguste Nicolleau, Capt. Gerard Binne, Paul Tissandier, Paul Zens and Ernest Zens.

September 16. Wilbur flies 39 minutes 18 2/5 seconds at Camp d’Auvours, establishing new French record.

In a flight lasting two minutes 28 1/5 seconds Wilbur carries his first European passenger, Ernst Zens, French Balloonist.

September 17. Orville severely injured and Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge killed at Fort Myer, Va., in first airplane fatality when Wright airplane crashes to earth from a height of about 75 feet after propeller blade breaks and machine goes out of control. This terminates the Wright Army trials for the year.

September 18. Katharine Wright takes leave from teaching assignment and arrives in Washington from Dayton. Accompanied by Charles R. Flint, the Wright brothers’ financial agent, she visits Orville at the Fort Myer hospital.

On learning of Orville’s accident at Fort Myer, Wilbur postpones preparations for an attempt to win the Michelin and Aero-Club de France prizes.

September 21 Wilbur flies one hour 31 minutes 25 4/5 seconds covering a distance of 66.6 kilometers, establishing a new world record, in the presence of Henry White, American Ambassador to France.

Katharine represents her brother Orville at burial of Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge in Arlington Cemetery.

September 24. Wilbur honored at reception by Aero-Club de la Sarthe for establishing new world flying record on September 21. Leon Bollee presides. Baron Paul d’Estournelles de Constant, Hart O. Berg, president of Conseil Generale le Chevalier, and Prefect of the Department de la Sarthe d’Auriac speak in praise of Wilbur.

When asked to say a few words, Wilbur responded with the often quoted remark: “I know of only one bird, the parrot, that talks, and he can’t fly very high.”

September 25. Spectators witnessing flights by Wilbur include Leon Delagrange, Rene Quinton, Ernest Archdeacon, Lazare Weiller, Count A. D. Economos, Frank Butler, Mr. and Mrs. Omer Decugnis, Baron Paul d’Estournelles de Constant, Paul Tissandier, Count and Viscount Costa de Beauregarde, and Ernest Zens.

September 28. Wilbur makes flight of one hour seven minutes 24 4/5 seconds, completing a distance of 48 kilometers 120 meters and attaining a maximum altitude of 10 meters, for which he was awarded on September 30 the prize of 5,000 francs offered by the Aviation commission of the Aero-Club de France.

October 1. Aero-Club de France awards Wrights gold medal for their September flights in France and America.

October 7. Wilbur makes six flights and on one of them carries his first woman passenger, Mrs. Hart O. Berg, the first real flight made anywhere in the world by a woman.

October 8. Wilbur makes a series of seven flights, several in the presence of Dowager Queen Margherita of Italy. In the first flight, lasting four minutes 22 seconds, he carries as passenger Griffith Brewer, the first Englishman to fly. The Queen compliments Wilbur on his flying skill.

October 9. Wilbur is guest at chateau of Count roger de Nicolay, president of the Jockey club.

October 10. Wilbur flies with Prof. Paul Painleve, member of the French Academy of Sciences and distinguished mathematician, as passenger, a flight of one hour nine minutes 45 2/5 seconds for a distance of 55 kilometers at an altitude of 10 miters, establishing a new world record for duration an distance for two persons. This flight was also officially recognized as fulfilling the flight performance conditions of the Wrights’ contract with the Lazare Weiller Syndicate.

Wilbur elected president of Ten Dayton Boys Club at annual meeting of the club.

October 13. Wilbur acknowledges congratulations received from Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Germany of successful flights.

October 16. French Academie des Sports awards Wright brothers gold medal with inscription “To the conquerors of the air, M. M. Wilbur and Orville Wright, the first to fly with an apparatus heavier-than-air driven by a motor.”

October 24. Wilbur flies three minutes two seconds with Baron Oskar von Lancken-Wakenitz, German charge d’affaires in Paris, as passenger, the first German to fly in an airplane.

Orville is visited in hospital at Fort Myer by Lord Alfred C. W. H. Northcliffe and Gen. Nelson A. Miles.

October 27. Aero Club of United Kingdom awards the Club’s gold medal to Wilbur and Orville “for their pioneer work, 1908” and unanimously elects them honorary members.

October 28. In accordance with the terms of the Wright contract with the Lazare Weiller Syndicate, Wilbur begins a series of training flights extending through March 20, flying for 12 minutes with Count Charles de Lambert as a passenger, his first lesson with his first French pupil.

November 1.  Orville and Katharine arrive in Dayton following his discharge from hospital in Fort Myer.           

Orville never fully recovered from his injury and suffered irritation of the sciatic nerve when experiencing vibration in airplanes, railroads, boats, or automobiles.

November 2. Wilbur and Orville elected honorary members of the Aero Club of America at its annual meting. The aero Club also votes to the wrights gold medals (designed by Victor D. Brenner), which were presented to them at a White House ceremony, June 10, 1909.

November 5. Aero-Club de France honors Wrights with banquet at Automobile-Club de France, presided over by French Minister of Public Works, Louis Barthou, at which Wilbur receives the Aero-Club de France gold medal, the Academie des Sports gold medal, and the Aero-club de France Aviation Commission prize of 5,000 francs.

Wilbur is guest at luncheon of the French society Autor du Monde, attended by distinguished editors, authors, scientists, and statesmen. These included Louis Liard, vice rector of the Academy of Paris; Henri Bergson, the philosopher; Auguste Rodin, the sculptor; Paul Painleve, the mathematician; Charles Wagner, author of “The Simple Life”; and Louis Lepine, Paris chief of police.

In the afternoon Wilbur attends French Senate meeting, where an appropriation for encouragement of aviation as under discussion. On adjournment of the senate, Baron Paul d’Estournelles de Constant gives a reception in his honor and introduces him to the president of the Senate, Antonin Dubost, and many of the senators. Louis Tillaye, questor of the Senate, delivers short speech of welcome.

November 9. Council of Aeronautical society of Great Britain votes that “The Gold Medal of the Aeronautical society of Great Britain should be presented to Messrs. Wilbur and Orville Wright, in recognition of their distinguished services to Aeronautical Science.” Notification of the award is made on November 21.

November 10. Wilbur flies for 15 minutes with Capt. Paul N Lucas-Girardville as passenger, the firs lesson for his second French pupil.

November 11. Honorary membership conferred on Wilbur and Orville by Columbia University Aero Club.

November 13. Wilbur attains an altitude of 90 meters, winning the Aero-Club de la Sarthe “Prix de la Hauteur” of 1,000 francs.

November 17. Society for the Encouragement of Peace presents gold medal to Wilbur.

November 18. Wilbur attains an altitude of 90 meters and wins the “Prix de la Hauteur” of the Aero-Club de France, 2,500 francs.

November 20. Wilbur honored at dinner given by Henri Deutsh de la Meurthe an Aero-Club de France at the Automobile-Club de France headquarters in Paris. Glowing tributes to the Wrights are paid by Marquis Albert de Dion, Count Henri de la Vaulx, Baron Paul d’Estournelles de Constant, and other guests.

November 21. Wilbur and Orville informed of election as honorary members of the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain and of the award them of the society’s gold medal voted on November 9.

November 30. La Compagnie Generale de Navigation Aerienne, French Wright company, organized.

December 1. Aero Club of the United Kingdom gold medal awarded the Wright brothers “for their pioneer work.”

December 5. Wilbur is honored guest at dinner given by Ligue Nationale Aerienne in Paris.

December 18. Wilbur establishes two new world records, a flight of one hour 54 minutes 2/5 seconds covering a distance of 99.8 kilometers, a new official world duration and distance record, and attains an altitude of 115 meters, a new record for which he received the 100 meter “Prix de la Hauteur” offered by the Aero-Club de la Sarthe.

December 25. Cercle des Arts & Sports at Le Mans honors Wilbur at dinner.

Wright airplane is one of chief attractions at Aeronautical Salon in Grand palace in Paris, which is opened by President Clement A. Fallieres of France.

December 28. Wilbur submits entry fee to enter competition for Coupe Michelin, stating that he will undertake a competitive flight on December 31.

December 31. Wilber winds Michelin Cup for 1908 and prize of 20,000 francs with a flight covering 123 kilometers 200 meters (real distance being nearly 150 kilometers) in a time of two hours 18 minutes 33 3/5 seconds. He extends this same flight to establish a new official world duration and distance record in a time of two hours 20 minutes 23 2/5 seconds, covering 124 kilometers 700 meters. This flight also wins the Albert Triaca prize of 500 francs offered for achieving the longest flight in the year 1908.

Following Wilbur’s record-breaking flight on this day, Wilbur and Minister of Public Works, Louis Barthou are honored at reception given by the aero-Club de la Sarthe in Le Mans. Tributes to Wilbur paid by Leon Bollee and Louis Barthou.