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First to Fly — Army Demonstration
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Soldiers at Fort Myer, Virginia, watching Orville Wright demonstrate the Wright Brothers' airplane for the U.S. Army. Milwaukee's Billy Mitchell is said to have attended this test as a young Signal Corps officer. This is what he would have witnessed. Mitchell was the first person with Wisconsin ties to witness the Wright Brothers' plane in flight.
September 17, 1908
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Collection Information
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W012P1P
WHi 10400
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First to Fly — Army Demonstration
September 1908
Among the spectators present to watch Orville Wright's demonstration of the Wright Flyer at Fort Myer, Virginia, were Lt. Frank P. Lahm (left), one of the first military officers taught to fly, and...
Fortieth Anniversary of the First Flights of the Wright Brothers Menu
December 17, 1943
Front cover and menu from a dinner honoring Orville Wright, on the fortieth anniversary of the first flights of Wilbur and Orville Wright from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903. On th...
First to Fly — Completing the Army Demonstration
1909
Wilbur Wright, in the bowler hat, preparing the Flyer for the conclusion of the test required to win a U.S. Army contract. The 1908 demonstration had been interrupted by a crash in which Orville wa...
Orville Wright in Old Age
circa 1920-1929
Portrait of Orville Wright inscribed to aviation publicist and historian Harry Bruno, whose collection of papers and photographs is housed at the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives.
First to Fly — Wright Brothers' Factory
1910
Workers in the General Assembly Department of the Wright Brothers' airplane factory.
Air Race Winner
1947
William Brennand of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Brennand piloted Steve Wittman's "Buster" to victory in the 1947 National Air Races. This photograph is from the collection of Harry Bruno, publicist for the...
