Wright Model A

__NOTOC__ Infobox Aircraft
name = Wright Model A
type = Demonstrator
manufacturer = Wright Company

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caption = A replica Wright Military Flyer at the National Museum of the United States Air Force
designer =
first flight = 1908
introduced =
retired =
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number built = ca.60
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The Wright Model A was an early aircraft produced by the Wright Brothers in the United States beginning in 1907. It was an outgrowth of their Flyer III airplane of 1905. The Model A had a 35 horsepower engine and seating for two with new control arrangement. Otherwise it was identical to the 1905 airplane. The Model A was the first aircraft that they offered for sale, and the first aircraft design to enter serial production anywhere in the world. Apart from the seven machines the Wrights built themselves in 1906-1907, they sold licences for production in Europe, with the largest number of Model As actually being produced in Germany by Flugmaschine Wright GmbH, which built about 60 examples. [ [http://www.deutsches-museum.de/sammlungen/ausgewaehlte-objekte/meisterwerke-iii/motorflugzeug/ Das Flugzeug "Model A" von Wilbur und Orville Wright] , Deutsches Museum (German) (shows German advert for Wright Flugmaschinen, flying lesson included with purchase) "In der in Johannisthal bei Berlin ansässigen Firma "Flugmaschine Wright GmbH" wurden Wright-Flugzeuge in Lizenz gebaut. Die im Herbst 1909 gegründete Firma war nach der Flugmaschinenfabrik von August Euler die zweite Flugzeugfabrik in Deutschland, in der Flugzeuge in Serie gefertigt wurden. Sie produzierte bis 1913 etwa 60 Wright-Doppeldecker verschiedener Versionen"]

The 1909 Military Flyer was a one of a kind Model A built by the Wright Brothers. With wings shortened two feet and the same engine salvaged from the wrecked 1908 Fort Myer Flyer, it differed from the standard Wright A in size and had a faster speed. The aircraft was demonstrated successfully at Fort Myer, Virginia June 28, 1909"U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946" by James C. Fahey, 1946, 64pp.] for the U.S. Army Signal Corps, which offered a contract of $25,000 for an aircraft capable of flying at 40 mph (64 km/h) with two people on board for a distance of 125 miles (200 km). After rigid trials the Signal Corps accepted the airplane, August 2, 1909"U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946" by James C. Fahey, 1946, 64pp.] , paying the brothers $30,000 ["On Great White Wings" by Fred E. C. Gulic and Spencer Dunmore (Airlife Publishing Ltd. Shrewsbury, England, 2001, ISBN 1840373334), 176pp.] . This original Wright Military Model A plane is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC ["United States Military Aircraft Since 1909" by F. G. Swanborough, 1964, 596 pp.] . It is displayed in much the original condition as when the Smithsonian received it in 1911. The only original standard model A to survive is the one Orville Wright used to demonstrate at Tempelhof, Germany in 1909, it resides in the Deutsches Museum, Munich.

pecifications (Wright Military Flyer)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref="US Army Aircraft 1908-1946" by James C. Fahey, 1946, 64pp.
crew= Two
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 30 ft 8 in
length alt= 112 m
span main= 36 ft 5 in
span alt= 133 m
height main= 17
height alt= 89 m
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main= 740 lb
empty weight alt= 336 kg
loaded weight main= 1,263 lb
loaded weight alt= 573 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (prop)= Wright Model 4
type of prop=
number of props= 1
power main= 30 hp
power alt= 22 kW
power original=
max speed main= 42 mph
max speed alt= 67.6 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
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never exceed speed main=
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References

* [http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/types/usa/wright/flyer/flyer.htm aeroflight.co.uk]

External links

* [http://collections.nasm.si.edu/code/emuseum.asp?style=single&currentrecord=4&page=collection&profile=objects&searchdesc=Aeronautics:%20Aircraft&newvalues=1&newstyle=expanded&newcurrentrecord=4 1909 Wright Military Flyer] , NASA Collections Database
* [http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/early_years/ey1.htm Replica at the Museum of the United States Air Force]

ee also

aircontent

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similar aircraft=

sequence=
* Wright: Model A - Model B - Model C - Model D →

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