Source:David McCullough. The Wright Brothers (2015)
While Wilbur Wright was basking in his achievements and celebrity in France, his brother Orville was preparing for his demonstration at Fort Myer, which was on high ground on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, just west of Arlington National Cemetery five miles outside of Washington, D.C. At the center of Fort Myer was a parade ground 1000 x 700 feet where Orville would test-fly the Wright Military Flyer.
Orville was accompanied by Charlie Taylor and Charles Furnas, both mechanics in the employ of the Wrights from Dayton (OH). Orville was getting ready for the first full-scale public performance of a Wright Brothers plane in America . . . and the Flyer that Orville was to take in the air had never before been flown. In the late-afternoon of 3 September 1908, the Flyer was wheeled into place, and Orville was very much on edge; Orville's demeanor before his first public flight was the exact opposite of Wilbur's in France . . . Orville just couldn't hold still.
Orville was accompanied by Charlie Taylor and Charles Furnas, both mechanics in the employ of the Wrights from Dayton (OH). Orville was getting ready for the first full-scale public performance of a Wright Brothers plane in America . . . and the Flyer that Orville was to take in the air had never before been flown. In the late-afternoon of 3 September 1908, the Flyer was wheeled into place, and Orville was very much on edge; Orville's demeanor before his first public flight was the exact opposite of Wilbur's in France . . . Orville just couldn't hold still.
A small crowd was in attendance to see Orville's first public flight, since Washington, D.C. hadn't yet caught on what has happening on the other side of the Potomac. At 6 pm, Orville was in the Military Flyer, and the weight in the catapult dropped, propelling the plane down the wooden track. Orville skimmed the ground for fifty feet before starting to fly in earnest. Orville circled overhead at about 35 feet, but soon descended at an abrupt angle and hit the ground; Orville was unharmed, and was calmly brushing off dust from his clothes. Orville had flown less than a mile at about 40 mph . . . he would receive a $25,000 bonus if the Flyer reached 40 mph for a sustained period of time.
On 4 September 1908, Orville remained in the air for 4 minutes, circling the parade ground five-and-a-half times under perfect control, covering 3 miles and making a perfect landing. During the days that followed, Orville provided one sensational performance after another, setting/breaking world records. Wilbur had become a Transcontinental Two-Ring Circus in France, but Orville was stealing the show. On 9 September 1908, Orville circled the grounds 57 times, flying for an hour. Then, at 5:30 pm in front of a much larger crowd (mostly from DC), Orville flew for 63 minutes, a new record. On 10 September 1908 with much stiffer winds, Orville surpassed his previous record in the air by several minutes (one of those watching was Gutzon Borglum, who would later carve Mount Rushmore).
On 4 September 1908, Orville remained in the air for 4 minutes, circling the parade ground five-and-a-half times under perfect control, covering 3 miles and making a perfect landing. During the days that followed, Orville provided one sensational performance after another, setting/breaking world records. Wilbur had become a Transcontinental Two-Ring Circus in France, but Orville was stealing the show. On 9 September 1908, Orville circled the grounds 57 times, flying for an hour. Then, at 5:30 pm in front of a much larger crowd (mostly from DC), Orville flew for 63 minutes, a new record. On 10 September 1908 with much stiffer winds, Orville surpassed his previous record in the air by several minutes (one of those watching was Gutzon Borglum, who would later carve Mount Rushmore).
Orville's record-breaking flight on 10 September 1908 lasted 70 minutes, and featured 2 figure-eights, thrilling the large crowd. On 12 September 1908, 5000 were in attendance, including the Secretary of War, the recently confirmed William Howard Taft . . . Orville was more-than-aware of the military interest in his Flyer (meanwhile in France, Wilbur was becoming tired of the attention and fame directed towards him, and his longest time in the air to that point was 30 minutes).
Rumors abounded among the crowd that President Theodore Roosevelt would announce that he wanted to fly with Orville. There would be another next to Orville in his two-seat plane, but it wouldn't be TR; instead it was someone that Orville didn't like or trust, Lt. Thomas Selfridge (pictured, age 26). Selfridge had become the U.S. Army's top aviation figure, and after two other officers flew with Orville, a very happy and excited Lt. Selfridge assigned himself to fly next. Orville believed that Selfridge was almost certainly a spy for Alexander Graham Bell, who had founded the competing Aerial Experiment Association; simply put, Orville Wright thought Lt. Thomas Selfridge was a backstabber.
Selfridge weighed 175 pounds, which was more than the previous two officers that had accompanied Orville. Nonetheless, on 17 September 1908 at 5:14 pm, the propellers were started. The Flyer lifted more slowly than usual; for 30 to 50 feet, the Flyer was barely off the ground before it started to creep into the air. Like Herbert Hoover and FDR on Inauguration Day, 4 March 1933, Selfridge (like FDR) talked to Orville in an excited fashion as Orville (like Hoover) stared straight ahead, flying the plane.
Rumors abounded among the crowd that President Theodore Roosevelt would announce that he wanted to fly with Orville. There would be another next to Orville in his two-seat plane, but it wouldn't be TR; instead it was someone that Orville didn't like or trust, Lt. Thomas Selfridge (pictured, age 26). Selfridge had become the U.S. Army's top aviation figure, and after two other officers flew with Orville, a very happy and excited Lt. Selfridge assigned himself to fly next. Orville believed that Selfridge was almost certainly a spy for Alexander Graham Bell, who had founded the competing Aerial Experiment Association; simply put, Orville Wright thought Lt. Thomas Selfridge was a backstabber.
Selfridge weighed 175 pounds, which was more than the previous two officers that had accompanied Orville. Nonetheless, on 17 September 1908 at 5:14 pm, the propellers were started. The Flyer lifted more slowly than usual; for 30 to 50 feet, the Flyer was barely off the ground before it started to creep into the air. Like Herbert Hoover and FDR on Inauguration Day, 4 March 1933, Selfridge (like FDR) talked to Orville in an excited fashion as Orville (like Hoover) stared straight ahead, flying the plane.
Orville circled the ground three times at 40 mph. During the fourth turn, all seemed well, but a piece of a propeller broke off, and Orville slowed the engine and started toward a landing. Then, at 125 feet in the air, two loud thumps and a terrible shaking occurred. Orville turned off the engines, hoping to glide in for a safe landing. Orville pulled as hard as he could on the steering and balance levers, but to no avail . . . the Flyer turned down in front and headed straight for the ground.
The Flyer hit the ground with tremendous force; Orville and Selfridge were pinned under bloodstained wreckage, faces down. Orville was conscious but moaning in pain, while Selfridge was unconscious with blood covering his face. Both were taken to the fort's hospital: Orville was in critical condition with a fractured leg and hip, with four broken ribs, but was expected to live. Selfridge, however, never regained consciousness, and died at 8:10 pm mostly due to a fractured skull - Selfridge became the first fatality in America's aviation history. It was rumored to be possible that Orville's passenger that day was to be none other than President Theodore Roosevelt.
The Flyer hit the ground with tremendous force; Orville and Selfridge were pinned under bloodstained wreckage, faces down. Orville was conscious but moaning in pain, while Selfridge was unconscious with blood covering his face. Both were taken to the fort's hospital: Orville was in critical condition with a fractured leg and hip, with four broken ribs, but was expected to live. Selfridge, however, never regained consciousness, and died at 8:10 pm mostly due to a fractured skull - Selfridge became the first fatality in America's aviation history. It was rumored to be possible that Orville's passenger that day was to be none other than President Theodore Roosevelt.
On 21 September 1908, Wilbur, after taking time to deal with the news he had received about Orville, flew again before a crowd of 10,000. Wilbur flew 91.5 minutes covering 40 miles, establishing world records for both. Back in Virginia, the Army's Aeronautical Board investigated the cause of the crash. Orville told the board that he thought a propeller became caught on a wire that connected the tail to the main section . . . and it turned out that Orville was exactly right.
A propeller cracked, and began to vibrate; the vibration tore loose a "stay wire", which wrapped around the propeller's blade, and both the wire and propeller broke. The "stay wire" braced the rear rudder, which explained why Orville could not control the Flyer on its descent.
It was the first time that anything had broke for either Wright Brother during a flight, and the first time either had crashed heading nose-down.
Alexander Graham Bell came to visit Orville, but the doctors wouldn't allow him to do so. Bell and his entourage then went to see Selfridge's casket, which was awaiting burial. On the way, Bell went to the supposedly-guarded shed were the Flyer's wreckage was stored. Charlie Taylor was at lunch, and the guard left behind let Bell and his retinue in the shed, which was against instructions. Bell took measurements of the widths of the wing with a tape measure. Word of this breach of security didn't reach Orville for a week, and he was extremely annoyed, but nothing more came of it . . . Bells' intentions were never made clear.
A propeller cracked, and began to vibrate; the vibration tore loose a "stay wire", which wrapped around the propeller's blade, and both the wire and propeller broke. The "stay wire" braced the rear rudder, which explained why Orville could not control the Flyer on its descent.
It was the first time that anything had broke for either Wright Brother during a flight, and the first time either had crashed heading nose-down.
Alexander Graham Bell came to visit Orville, but the doctors wouldn't allow him to do so. Bell and his entourage then went to see Selfridge's casket, which was awaiting burial. On the way, Bell went to the supposedly-guarded shed were the Flyer's wreckage was stored. Charlie Taylor was at lunch, and the guard left behind let Bell and his retinue in the shed, which was against instructions. Bell took measurements of the widths of the wing with a tape measure. Word of this breach of security didn't reach Orville for a week, and he was extremely annoyed, but nothing more came of it . . . Bells' intentions were never made clear.
On 25 September 1908, Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. By the end of October, it was decided that Orville should be moved back home to Dayton in order to alleviate his nervousness. On 31 October 1908, Orville was taken aboard a train at Washington's Union Station, and started back to Dayton. A local surgeon determined that Orville's left leg had been shortened about an inch instead of the 1/8" he had been told by the doctors at the hospital at Fort Myer.
Orville needed heel padding in his left shoe to equalize his legs. By 14 November 1908, Orville had improved to the point where he started working at the bicycle/airplane shop again. It was in December 1908 that Orville and his sister Katherine announced that they were going to France to join their brother Wilbur.
Orville needed heel padding in his left shoe to equalize his legs. By 14 November 1908, Orville had improved to the point where he started working at the bicycle/airplane shop again. It was in December 1908 that Orville and his sister Katherine announced that they were going to France to join their brother Wilbur.