Wright B Flyer

It may be just a replica and in today's modern technology one would think that it would be safer to fly than when the Wright brothers flew it but it is still a  experimental piece of flying equipment.  You can't even say it was a mode of transportation other than the pilots did travel but mainly for their work...experimentation etc.  Approximately a year ago one of the Flyer's, yes, there is more than one, crashed killing both pilot and co-pilot.  I'm not sure what the cause was but I'm sure something was discovered.  The two pilots were the main fliers of this aircraft with many hours behind the stick.  It was used at many of the festivals around the area and anything that takes place at Wright Patterson AFB.

These were taken as flew over my house when returning from the start of the Air Force Marathon.  I missed it when it was going to the event, however, when I heard it coming back I knew I had time to get my camera as it was flying into a pretty good head wind.

From An Earlier Time

This is the famed Wright B Flyer that was designed and flown by Orville and Wilbur Wright of Dayton, OH.  South of Dayton is a small airstrip, known as Wright Bros. Field.  It is located in Springboro, OH and in reality it isn't that small.  Small corporate jets come and go all the time.  It beats going into Dayton International on the north side of Dayton.  At this airfield is a hanger that you can see from SR 741 and on it is the faces of Wilbur and Orville.  Periodically, when there are special events at Wright Patterson AFB this replica will fly over as it did today.  About 2 or 3 years ago one of the replicas crashed, killing both of the pilots.  It's a neat thing to see and very noisy like a helicopter when flying away from you but it sneaks up on you when coming towards you. 

My Humble Tribute

Two volunteers that tested and flew the Wright B Flyer aircraft died over the weekend checking out the latest craft that was hand built. The plane only had 25 flight hrs. on it but they had hundreds between them. This is my tribute, as minuscule as it is, to them and their endeavors. Totally volunteers, they assisted in the building and the flying of these crafts for all to see at various events, even down to Texas.