Wright Company
Encyclopedia
The Wright Company was the commercial aviation business venture of the Wright Brothers
, established by them in 1909 in conjunction with several prominent industrialists from New York and Detroit with the intention of capitalizing on their invention of the practical airplane. It maintained a headquarters office in New York City
, but it built its factory in Dayton
, Ohio
. The two buildings designed by Dayton architect William Earl Russ and built by Rouzer Construction for the Wright Company in Dayton in 1910 and 1911 were the first edifices in the United States constructed specifically for an airplane factory and were included within the boundary of Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
in 2009.
The Wright Company concentrated its efforts on protecting the company's patent
rights rather than on developing new aircraft or aircraft components, believing that innovations would hurt the company's efforts to obtain royalties from competing manufacturers or patent infringers. Wilbur Wright died in 1912, and on October 15, 1915, Orville Wright sold the company, which in 1916 merged with the Glenn L. Martin Company
to form the Wright-Martin
Company. Orville Wright estimated that the Wright Company built approximately 120 airplanes across all of its different models between 1910 and 1915.
Many of the papers of the Wright Company are now in the collection of the Seattle Museum of Flight, while others are held by the Library of Congress
in Washington, D.C. The Library of Congress also holds the papers of Grover Loening
, the second Wright Company factory manager, while the papers of Frank H. Russell, the first plant manager, are at the University of Wyoming's American Heritage Center.
Wright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
, established by them in 1909 in conjunction with several prominent industrialists from New York and Detroit with the intention of capitalizing on their invention of the practical airplane. It maintained a headquarters office in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, but it built its factory in Dayton
Dayton
Dayton is a city in Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, United States.Dayton may also refer to:-United States:*Dayton, Alabama*Dayton, California, in Butte County*Dayton, Lassen County, California*Dayton, Idaho*Dayton, Indiana...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The two buildings designed by Dayton architect William Earl Russ and built by Rouzer Construction for the Wright Company in Dayton in 1910 and 1911 were the first edifices in the United States constructed specifically for an airplane factory and were included within the boundary of Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
thumb|left|200 px|The Wright Flyer III, now in Carillon Historical Park, shown being flown by Orville Wright on October 4, 1905, over [[Huffman Prairie]] near Dayton...
in 2009.
The Wright Company concentrated its efforts on protecting the company's patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
rights rather than on developing new aircraft or aircraft components, believing that innovations would hurt the company's efforts to obtain royalties from competing manufacturers or patent infringers. Wilbur Wright died in 1912, and on October 15, 1915, Orville Wright sold the company, which in 1916 merged with the Glenn L. Martin Company
Glenn L. Martin Company
The Glenn L. Martin Company was an American aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company that was founded by the aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin. The Martin Company produced many important aircraft for the defense of the United States and its allies, especially during World War II and the Cold War...
to form the Wright-Martin
Wright-Martin
Wright-Martin was a short-lived aircraft manufacturing business venture between the Wright Company and Glenn L. Martin....
Company. Orville Wright estimated that the Wright Company built approximately 120 airplanes across all of its different models between 1910 and 1915.
Many of the papers of the Wright Company are now in the collection of the Seattle Museum of Flight, while others are held by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
in Washington, D.C. The Library of Congress also holds the papers of Grover Loening
Grover Loening
Grover Cleveland Loening was an American aircraft manufacturer.-Biography:Loening was born in Bremen, Germany, while his American-born father was stationed there as U.S. Consul. He graduated from Columbia University in New York City, where he was awarded the first-ever degree in Aeronautical...
, the second Wright Company factory manager, while the papers of Frank H. Russell, the first plant manager, are at the University of Wyoming's American Heritage Center.
Wright aircraft
The following is a complete list of aircraft built under the Wright name, from the earliest test craft to the last products of the company before it merged with Martin. Note that only the later aircraft were built by the Wright Company itself.Early test gliders
- 1899 Kite
- 1900 Glider
- 1901 Glider
- 1902 Glider
Early powered aircraft
- 1903 Flyer IWright FlyerThe Wright Flyer was the first powered aircraft, designed and built by the Wright brothers. They flew it four times on December 17, 1903 near the Kill Devil Hills, about four miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, U.S.The U.S...
- 1904 Flyer IIWright Flyer IIThe Flyer II was the second powered aircraft built by Wilbur and Orville Wright, in 1904. The design of the Flyer II was very similar to the original 1903 Flyer, but with a slightly more powerful engine and construction using white pine instead of the spruce they used in the 1903 machine as well as...
- 1905 Flyer IIIWright Flyer IIIThe Wright Flyer III was the third powered aircraft built by the Wright Brothers. Orville Wright made the first flight with it on June 23, 1905. The Flyer III had an airframe of spruce construction with a wing camber of 1-in-20 as used in 1903, rather than the less effective 1-in-25 used in 1904...
- 1907-1909 Model A
Wright Company aircraft
- 1909 Military FlyerWright Military Flyer-See also:-References:* * United States Air Force Museum - External links :* , NASA Collections Database* * Smithsonian online version of magazine November 1, 2006* reproduction 1908 Wright Model A Military Flyer.-See also:...
- 1909-1910 Model A-B
- 1910 Model BWright Model B|-See also:-References:* * * * * * -External links:* *...
- 1910 Model Ex
- 1910 Model RWright Model RThe Wright Model R was a one-seat biplane built by the Wright Company in Dayton, Ohio, in 1910. Known as the "Roadster" or the "Baby Wright," the company designed the airplane for speed and altitude competitions...
- 1911 Glider
- 1912 Model CWright Model C|-References:*], Dr. Richard Stimson, The Wright Stories...
- 1912 Model D
- 1913 Model CH
- 1913 Model G Aeroboat
- 1913 Model E
- 1913 Model F
- 1914 Model H
- 1915 Model HS
- 1915 Model K
- 1916 Model L