|
Title: |
Louis P. Christman, 1903 Wright Flyer Drawings |
|
Repository: |
Wright State University Libraries Special Collections and Archives
Phone: 937-775-2092 http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/ |
|
Creator: |
Christman, Louis P., 1893-1972 |
|
Dates: |
1947-1951 |
|
Quantity: |
3 linear feet |
|
Abstract: |
Orville and Wilbur Wright never constructed a complete set of drawings for any of their flyers or gliders. In the mid-1940s, friend of the Wright's, Edward Deeds, commissioned Louis P. Christman, to complete, not only a set of drawings for the famous 1903 Flyer, but also the 1900, 1901, and 1902 Gliders, and the 1903 and 1904 Flyers. This collection contains Christman's original drawings of the 1903 Flyer's Engine Support Rails and Wing Ribs. In addition, the collection also consists of 23 blue-line or "working" drawings of various parts of the 1903 Flyer. |
|
Identification: |
MS-477 |
|
Language: |
The records are in English |
Upon creating Carillon Park in the early 1940s, Colonel Edward Deeds wished to reconstruct the original Wright Brothers' 1905 Flyer in one of the park's buildings. As Orville and Wilbur Wright had never produced a complete set of drawings or blueprints for any of their flyers, Deeds commissioned Louis P. Christman to complete not only a set of drawings for the 1905 Flyer, but also the 1900, 1901, and 1902 Gliders, and the 1903 and 1904 Flyers.
Christman, (1893-1972), an employee of National Cash Register, worked closely with Orville Wright to produce an accurate set of drawings. In creating plans for the 1903 Flyer, Christman traveled to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. to take measurements and make drawings from the original 1903 Flyer displayed there and later the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia to study, and trace, informal drawings the Wright brothers had done. Back in Dayton, he would discuss these notes with Orville Wright.
Continued meetings and conversations between Orville Wright and Christman resulted in a refined set of drawings of the numerous gliders and planes. Christman, under the direction of Deeds, then began the restoration of the 1905 Flyer in 1947, on the grounds of the National Cash Register Co. Final construction and assembly was completed at Carillon Historical Park, where the plane was reassembled and fabric was stretched. The plane is on display there today.
In June of 2013, Special Collection and Archives purchased at auction Christman's original pencil drawings of the 1903 Flyer's engine support rails, an original pencil tracing of Flyer's wing ribs, and 23 "working" drawings made from the original '03 Flyer including notations by Orville Wright and Christman.
The collection contains only drawings; no other supplementary materials are contained therein.
Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
There are no restrictions on accessing materials in this collection.
Related Material: Related MaterialMS-1, The Wright Brothers' Collection MS-286, Charlie Taylor - Howard DuFour Collection
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
MS-477, Louis P. Christman, 1903 Wright Flyer Drawings, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
Materials were purchased at auction from Cowan's in June, 2013.
Processed by Gino Pasi, November, 2013.
The finding aid is available on the Special Collections & Archives, Wright State University Libraries web site at
https://wright.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/326.