Wright Flyer III (replica), flying display during the 21st edition of Aviatická pouť air show, Pardubice, June 2011.
On 17th December 1903, near Kill Devil Hills in the vicinity of Kitty Hawk in North Carolina, for the first time in history a heavier-than-air powered aircraft, successfully took off from the ground. It was the Wilbur and Orville Wright’s aeroplane, called Flyer I.
During the first, historic flight that lasted 12 seconds, the aircraft, with Orville Wright at the controls, covered the distance of 37 metres (120 feet). Later that day, the Wright brothers performed three more trials, improving the results consecutively by 53 metres (175 feet), 61 metres (200 feet) and finally, 260 metres (852 feet), with the longest of flights lasting 59 seconds.
During the last landing the front elevator supports were damaged. The Wright brothers planned to fix it, but unfortunately, soon the Flyer I sustained more, substantial damage, because of a heavy wind gust and was never flown again. However, the Wrights didn’t give up and kept working on their further aircraft projects, resulting in completing the Flyer II (with the first flight performed in May of 1904) and the Flyer III (the first flight on 23rd June 1905).
About a century later, an American foundation announced that an airworthy replica of the Wright Flyer was going to be created in the United States, to celebrate the centennial of the Wrights´ first flight. This information motivated the Czech aviation enthusiast and amateur aircraft builder, Václav Vondrášek, to made his own replica of the first successful aeroplane.
In autumn of 2002, Vondrášek began with works on his aircraft, based on the Wright Flyer III. He chose the third model of the aeroplane due to its better-tuned design, as well as increased flight safety, in comparison to the two earlier designs.
After a year of hard work, the replica of Wright Flyer III was ready to fly. The aircraft was powered by two-cylinder, two-stroke inline Rotax 503 aviation engine, generating 50 hp. In comparison to original design, Vondrášek´s aeroplane featured just some minor changes to increase its flight stability.
In September of 2003, the Wright Flyer III replica performed its maiden flight at Hradec Králové airfield. Next month, the aeroplane was for the first time officially presented to general public in Mladá Boleslav.
Over the next few years, aviation enthusiasts could see the Czech-made replica of the Wright Flyer III during some aviation events held in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Among them, there was the 21st edition of Aviatická pouť (Aviation Fair) air show in Pardubice, where our current Photo of the Week was taken.
After approximately ten years of flying displays, the replica of Wright Flyer III was acquired by Letecké muzeum Ing. Jana Kašpara (Jan Kašpar aviation museum) in Pardubice, where it was exhibited until 2024. However, in August last year, the museum was temporarily closed for relocation, and its new address was still not disclosed until today.
It is also worth noting that creating the American replica of Wright Flyer III aircraft, built by Mark Dusenberry, faced several technical issues and the aeroplane was not ready to fly on time. An attempt to re-create the historic first flight of the heavier-than-air powered aircraft was made in December of 2003 but failed. The aeroplane did not get off the ground and eventually stuck in a mud puddle.
Nevertheless, the American-built Wright Flyer III replica became airworthy shortly after and, until 2009, Dusenberry successfully performed several flying displays with the aircraft. On 1st October of 2009, during rehearsal to an aviation event held at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the Dusenberry´s replica of Flyer III crashed. The aircraft was significantly damaged and its constructor and pilot was seriously injured. Eventually, the accident left him paraplegic.
After a certain time, Mark Dusenberry began with restoration of his Wright Flyer III, as well with development of two more replicas of the Wright brothers´ aircraft. Regrettably, he passed away in 2022, without completing those projects.
Nowadays, the aircraft made by Václav Vondrášek, remains the sole airworthy replica of the Wright Flyer III.
