Matthew Black, EngineerThe Wright Archive · Est. 1903

Exhibit No. 05 — The Photographic Archive

Plates from the collection

Each print is corner-mounted on card in the manner of the period, with captions transcribed from the penciled notes on their reverse.

Matthew Black standing with hands in pockets before the 1903 Flyer, three men behind — Plate I — Black before the Flyer, with the workshop crew. Kill Devil Hills, December 1903.

Matthew Black running on the sand as the Flyer flies low beside him — Plate II — Black runs alongside as the Flyer lifts from the rail. 17 December 1903.

Matthew Black lying prone at the controls of the Flyer in flight — Plate III — A test of the prone position. Black aboard the machine, autumn 1903.

Matthew Black smiling before the Flyer on the ground with crew nearby — Plate IV — The machine at rest between trials. Camp at Kill Devil Hills, 1903.

The 1902 wooden glider resting on sand dunes — Plate V — The 1902 glider on the dunes, before the tunnel work began.

The hand-built four-cylinder engine on a workshop bench — Plate VI — The four-cylinder engine on the Dayton bench, 183 pounds finished.

A machinist with tools beside the tail assembly in the workshop — Plate VII — In the Third Street shop, with the tail assembly under refit.

The Flyer positioned on its wooden launch rail on the sand — Plate VIII — Sixty feet of straight pine: the launch rail, sighted true at dusk.