What can be said about a pair of bicycle mechanics from Dayton Ohio who used a “down-to-earth” practical approach and incredible determination to solve the major obstacles of powered flight? These brothers went from zero to airborne success in just over 4 years of study, designing, building and testing many iterations. Here are pictures of my 1/8 scale 1903 Flyer which is acknowledged to be the first true, powered, heavier-than-air aircraft that could be controlled in all 3 axes. The model is a detailed study of the craft’s bare structure as you would see it without its muslin wing coverings. Working from a set of Smithsonian paper blueprints I was amazed by the ultra thin sections and ribs they used in the real Flyer. Even at this large 1/8 model scale I still had to increase a few of these dimensions to make the model hold up. I read several books on the Wright brothers but always felt closest to their spirit as I worked through building the details of their design. They were true heroes to me and this model is my personal tribute to them. In the following photos I will point out some of the details. The overall size of my model: 60 inches wingspan, 32 inches front to back, 12 inches tall.
Some material and construction details
Most of the framework in the real Flyer was made of spruce or ash wood held together with various combinations of glue, wood screws, nails, sheet tin, twine, and steel wire. I tried to be reasonably faithful to the look of the original materials. Below is a gallery of various hardware connections in the model.
Flight control surfaces
The pilot operated the craft from a prone position as you see above. His hips were in a padded cradle that he could push to the right or left. Attached steel cables translated this movement into “wing warping” motions. When these movements were combined with the motion of the rectangular rudder assembly they provided both roll and yaw. The lever in the pilot’s left hand moved what they called “front rudders” (elevators) which caused vertical motion in flight. The engine and pilot were positioned on either side of the craft’s centerline to help even out weight distribution. Below are a few more details of the control surfaces.
Engine and drive train
The 180 pound engine was a 4 cylinder, 4 stroke, water cooled, gasoline engine with an aluminum crankcase and pistons that ran in steel sleeves. Ignition was provided by a make-and-break contact system using low voltage from a small separate magneto. The engine developed about 12 hp at just over 1000 rpm. Power was transmitted to the propellers via bicycle chains and sprockets arranged to counter rotate the blades to cancel out torque effects. The radiator was a tall black metal box attached to the front wing strut just to the pilot’s right. The gas tank was a black metal cylinder hung up on the front wing strut to the pilot’s left. Below are more views of engine and drive setup.
A few more parting shots
I hope you have enjoyed these pictures. My build of the 1903 Flyer was an incredible journey. Since this was entirely a “scratch” build I had a serious amount of work to accomplish. I purchased a laser cutter and learned how to use it to make most of the thin wood parts. That does not mean it was as easy as you might think since every wood part had to be translated into CAD data from the paper blueprints. There was more CAD work making files for the engine, magneto, and props that were then 3D printed (both resin and FDM). There were many metal parts to be turned on the lathe. It became a common occurrence to find I had to remake a part several times before I got the fit and look I wanted. The final assembly was both exciting and terrifying. The real craft and my model are held together mostly by wire bracing. I had to build several assembly fixtures along the way to insure the whole thing did not collapse before I could complete it. Overall, I like the results. Hope you do too!
Down In The Shop 