National Air and Space Museum Archives

Fort Myer Army Trial Flight Photographs

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.XXXX.0904
Creators:
Clime, W. S.
Dates:
1908-1909
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.05 Cubic feet
1 folder
Repository:
The US Army Signal Corps advertised for bids for a two-seat observation aircraft and in 1908 and 1909, the Wrights flew the Wright 1908 Military Flyer at official Army trials at Fort Myer, Virginia. This collection consists of 45 black and white photographs, of varying sizes and including some duplicates, taken by photographer W. S. Clime at the 1908-1909 official army trials.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The US Army Signal Corps advertised for bids for a two-seat observation aircraft and in 1908 and 1909, the Wrights flew the Wright 1908 Military Flyer at official Army trials at Fort Myer, Virginia. On September 17, 1908, Orville Wright and Lieutenant Thomas Etholen Selfridge made a flight as a part of these trials. While in the air, a blade on the propeller broke and the aircraft fell from 75 feet up and landed on Wright and Selfridge. Both men sustained severe injuries. Wright broke a leg and several ribs, and Selfridge was taken off the field unconscious. Selfridge died shortly after the accident from his injuries and became powered flight's first fatality. The Army was to purchase the Wright (Co) Type A Military (Signal Corps No. 1) for $30,000 in 1909.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Collection is in original order.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
This collection consists of 45 black and white photographs, of varying sizes and including some duplicates, taken by photographer W. S. Clime at the 1908-1909 official army trials at Fort Myer, Virginia. Shown in the images are the Wright 1908 Military Flyer in flight and on the ground; the crash that injured Orville Wright and killed Thomas Selfridge; and Thomas S. Baldwin with an Army dirigible. Other persons shown in the photographs include mechanic Charles W. Taylor; Major George O. Squier; Lieutenant Frank P. Lahm; Lieutenant Benjamin D. Foulois; Augustus Post; and Mrs. M. Longworth. The collection also contains one unrelated photograph of A. Roy Knabenshue making a flight over Washington, DC.

Administration

Author
Jessamyn Lloyd
Immediate Source of Acquisition
A. S. Clime, Gift, Unknown, NASM.XXXX.0904
Processing Information
Arranged and described (2009) and encoded (2020) by Jessamyn Lloyd.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access.
Preferred Citation
Fort Myer Army Trial Flight Photographs, NASM.XXXX.0904, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Wright (Co) Type A Military (Signal Corps No. 1) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Fort Myer (Va.) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographic prints Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wright, Orville, 1871-1948 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wright, Orville, 1871-1948 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Knab, Frederick, 1865-1918 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Taylor, Charles Edward, 1868-1956 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lahm, Frank Purdy, 1877-1963 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Selfridge, Thomas Etholen Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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