Talk:Wright Flyer

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Photo of Flyer III

Latest comment: 5 months ago3 comments3 people in discussion

This photo clearly shows Wright Flyer III, not the Flyer One. The distinctive aspect are the three dark spots on the lower airfoil. It should be the engine, now mounted in the upright position and two dudes, the pilot and a passenger. On Flyer One, the pilot was laying on the wing and the engine was also mounted in a horizontal position. The upright seating positions for the pilot and the passenger seat were features introduced to Wright Flyer III in 1908, apparently a requirement by the US Army Signal Corps for the series-produced Flyer A. The twin-seater Wright Flyer III was test flown in May 1908 at Kitty Hawk. Most likely, the shown photo is of that occasion, maybe of one of the first flights carrying a passenger. --~2025-40707-36 (talk) 17:56, 30 December 2025 (UTC)Reply

Take it up with the Library of Congress as that is the origin of the file and information. The anhedral of the aircraft in the photo does not match the Flyer III. The black details look like a film negative blemish, they are also not on the aircraft centreline. Nimbus (Cumulus nimbus floats by) 18:26, 30 December 2025 (UTC)Reply

I agree with Nimbus. The Flyer III is a two-seat aircraft, so the fact that there are three black spots suggests that they are not occupants. The original Flyer also has a much more pronounced anhedral than the Flyer III, making it easy to differentiate them at this angle. - ZLEA ^TǀC 21:36, 30 December 2025 (UTC)Reply

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