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A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY!
What can Wright Seaplane Base, Inc. say about the Wright Brothers that has not already been said in books, newspapers, magazines, television, and other major publications? One important piece of history about the Wright Brothers has been lost in time. Wilbur died in 1912, but Orville and engineer Grover Loening, mechanic Charlie Taylor and other Wright Company employees continued to test several versions of Wright seaplanes, adding pontoons to several versions of the Wright "B" Flyer, then developing an entirely new seaplane with a boat-like hull, the Model "G" Aeroboat. The Aeroboat had a solid hull or fuselage with an enclosed cockpit, twin pusher propellers, and the engine in the rear. The Aeroboat was 28 feet long, had a wingspan of 38 feet, and weighed 1,250 pounds. It was powered by a 60 horsepower engine and could attain a maximum speed of 60mph. The Model G "Aeroboat" was the most successful seaplane!
Dayton, Ohio, is the Birthplace of Aviation and the home of the Wright Brothers, who masterfully engineered the invention of the airplane. Most of their craftsmanship and engineering work took place in Dayton.
However, the brothers also performed a few test flights in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. They chose Kitty Hawk for its remote location and for the value of soft-landing sand and high-sustained winds. After their flight on December 17,1903, they moved their research and testing to Dayton, Ohio. From results based on their 1903 Kitty Hawk Model I Flyer they continued their research and design work at the site of Huffman Prairie. Huffman Prairie is where the brothers flew much of their test flights and is now a part of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. It was on September 5, 1905 that they successfully demonstrated their Model III Flyer as the world’s first practical airplane. Later, at this same location the Wright’s established their flying school. One of the least known aspects of their research work was the development of a hydro-aeroplane and the Model G “Aeroboat”. Test flights took place between 1912 and 1914 on the “S” bends in the Great Miami River, south of Dayton, between the cities of West Carrollton and Moraine, Ohio. A historical marker has been erected in West Carrollton at the Miami & Erie Canal Park in the area where these flights took place, the home of the Wright Seaplane Base. Orville flew the varied seaplanes in and out of the Miami River between Moraine and West Carrollton over 100 times! On one flight, the Model "CH" (seen at the top right with Orville standing in front) carried a pilot and three passengers on the Miami River; making a total load on the machine of almost 800 pounds! According to Orville's log, on August 20th, 1914, Orville piloted the modified Model "G" and was accompanied by student pilot, Navy Lt. Kenneth Whiting. Both men narrowly escaped drowning when the later model hydro-aeroplane fell into the Miami River from an altitude of 30 feet when a wing broke. Bishop Milton Wright’s August 20th diary entry refers to it by only saying, “the flyer took a dive.” Wright Seaplane Base, Inc. is dedicated to recovering this lost piece of aviation history! If you would like to help, please donate or volunteer today. Thank you! To learn more about the Wright Brothers -- Follow these links: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: http://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/wright-brothers/online/ Wright Brothers National Memorial: http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/index.htm Dayton Aviation Heritage: http://www.nps.gov/daav/index.htm The Wilbur & Orville Wright Papers at the Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/collection/wilbur-and-orville-wright-papers/about-this-collection/ Wright State University Library: http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/wright_brothers/ |
The Wright Model "B" on pontoons - 1911
Courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University 
The Wright Model "CH" and Orville Wright - 1913
Courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University 
The Wright Model "G" at speed on the Miami River - 1913
Courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University To make a donation by check, make your check payable to:
Wright Seaplane Base Inc. Please mail your donation to: Wright Seaplane Base Inc c/o Moraine Air Park 3800 Clearview Rd. Moraine, OH. 45439-1120 Please record in the memo "Donation to WSBI" 
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If you are interested in volunteering at WSBI events, or interested in sponsoring or donating towards the fundraising goals and efforts of WSBI's mission, please Contact Us to find out how you can help. Thank you!
