Manny Gorin Wright Brothers Glass Plate Negatives Collection

The Manny Gorin Wright Brothers Glass Plate Negatives Collection consists of 15 glass plate negatives of the Wright Brothers and their Model A aircraft in France, circa 1908-1909.

Four images depict the Model A in flight. Five images show the aircraft on the ground with groups of people, primarily men, standing around it and inspecting it. One image shows the plane being wheeled across a dirt road toward a barn-like structure, likely Wilbur's temporary hangar at the Hunaudières racecourse. One image does not include the aircraft at all but shows a group of men near the Wrights' derrick-like catapult that they used to launch their aircraft; four additional images show the plane near this structure, perhaps while preparing for take-off, with some people around. The catapult is seen in the distance in one of the views of the plane in flight. The launch rail is also clearly visible in two of the images.

While people are pictured in most of the images, none are identified. Wilbur Wright is presumably piloting the aircraft in all the views of it in flight. It is unknown if Orville is depicted in any of the images. Some women are present and may possibly include Katharine Wright. No large groups of spectators or viewing stands are seen in the images.

The original photographer of the images is unknown. The images may have been taken either at Le Mans or Pau, France. The images were evidently not all taken at the same event but over the course of multiple exhibition flights, as the background and weather conditions vary between the images. Snow is seen on the ground in some images. Some of the glass plates have suffered damage to their emulsion layers, which affects the images.

Digitized Materials: This collection has been digitized in its entirety.

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