Early Flight Collection

The Wright Flyer I makes its first flight of 120 feet in 12 seconds, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, 10
KW330002 The Wright Flyer I makes its first flight of 120 feet in 12 seconds, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, 10.35am, 17 December 1903 (b/w photo) by Daniels, John T

First flight, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, 120 feet in 12 seconds, 10. 35am December 17th 1903 (b / w photo)
1273724 First flight, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, 120 feet in 12 seconds, 10.35am December 17th 1903 (b/w photo) by Daniels, John T

The Aerial Steam Carriage or Ariel, 19th century
3847185 The Aerial Steam Carriage or Ariel, 19th century; (add.info.: The Ariel flying machine was patented in 1842 by William Samuel Henson (1812-88) and John Stringfellow (1799-1883)

Postcard celebrating French pioneer aviator Alberto Santos Dumont, early 1900s (chromolitho)
3847177 Postcard celebrating French pioneer aviator Alberto Santos Dumont, early 1900s (chromolitho); (add.info.: Depiction of French aviator Alberto Santos Dumont (1873-1932)

Ascent of Mr Chas Green in his balloon, the Albion
3847188 Ascent of Mr Chas Green in his balloon, the Albion; (add.info.: Ascent of Mr Chas Green in his balloon (the Albion) from the Royal Albert Saloon and Pleasure Gardens Shepherdess Walk

Orville Wright on Flight 46 at Huffman Prairie, Dayton, Ohio, 1905 (b/w photo)
1273725 Orville Wright on Flight 46 at Huffman Prairie, Dayton, Ohio, 1905 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection

Wilbur lying on damaged machine after unsuccessful trial at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, December 14, 1903, (b/w photo)
1273729 Wilbur lying on damaged machine after unsuccessful trial at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, December 14, 1903, (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection

Orville Wright flying at a height of about 60 feet on flight 41 at Huffman Prairie, Dayton, Ohio
1273726 Orville Wright flying at a height of about 60 feet on flight 41 at Huffman Prairie, Dayton, Ohio, September 29th 1905 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection

Crumpled glider wrecked by the wind on Hill of the Wreck, October 10th 1900
1273730 Crumpled glider wrecked by the wind on Hill of the Wreck, October 10th 1900 by American Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection

Postcard celebrating Anglo-French aviator Robert Esnault-Pelterie, early 1900s (chromolitho)
3847173 Postcard celebrating Anglo-French aviator Robert Esnault-Pelterie, early 1900s (chromolitho) by French School, (20th century); (add.info)

Postcard celebrating French pioneer aviator Count Charles de Lambert, early 1900s (chromolitho)
3847171 Postcard celebrating French pioneer aviator Count Charles de Lambert, early 1900s (chromolitho) by French School, (20th century); (add.info)

Postcard celebrating French pioneer aviator Gabriel Voisin, early 1900s (chromolitho)
3847167 Postcard celebrating French pioneer aviator Gabriel Voisin, early 1900s (chromolitho) by French School, (20th century); (add.info)

Wilbur and Orville Wright and Charlie Taylor put a plane on the launch rail for the first Army flight at Fort Myer
1273728 Wilbur and Orville Wright and Charlie Taylor put a plane on the launch rail for the first Army flight at Fort Myer, Virginia

First aerial voyage under the direction of Monsieur Mongolfier, engraved by Nicolas Delaunay (1739-92)
3869788 First aerial voyage under the direction of Monsieur Mongolfier, engraved by Nicolas Delaunay (1739-92), 1783 (engraving) by Lorimier

Frank Stanton & "Prince of Princeton", c. 1915-20 (b / w photo)
5848196 Frank Stanton & " Prince of Princeton", c.1915-20 (b/w photo) by Bain, George Grantham - Bain News Service (1865-1944); Private Collection; (add.info)

Stereoscopic card of Wright aeroplane ready for a flight at Fort Myer, Virginia, c. 1915 (b / w photo)
1273727 Stereoscopic card of Wright aeroplane ready for a flight at Fort Myer, Virginia, c.1915 (b/w photo) by Underwood & Underwood (c.1881-1940); Private Collection; American, out of copyright

Homage to Bleriot, 1914 (tempera on canvas)
3588575 Homage to Bleriot, 1914 (tempera on canvas) by Delaunay, Robert (1885-1941); 250x251 cm; Kunstmuseum, Basel, Switzerland; (add.info.: Louis Bleriot (1872-1936) French aviator); French

First manned hydrogen balloon flight, 1783 (print)
3869793 First manned hydrogen balloon flight, 1783 (print) by French School, (18th century); (add.info.: Depiction of the hydrogen flight launched and manned by Jacques Charles (1746-1823)

Guynemer - the indomitable (photogravure)
STC398784 Guynemer - the indomitable (photogravure) by French Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Georges Guynemer (1894-1917)

For conspicuous bravery (photogravure)
STC398772 For conspicuous bravery (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: William George Barker VC (1894-1930)

Boy who became a fighting star (photogravure)
STC398764 Boy who became a fighting star (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Captain Albert Ball, V.C)

Airship hero of a stirring story (photogravure)
STC398763 Airship hero of a stirring story (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Squadron-Leader R.S)

Balloons (litho)
XJF314399 Balloons (litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; English, out of copyright

Airmen of unsurpassed achievement (photogravure)
STC398782 Airmen of unsurpassed achievement (photogravure) by French Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Dieudonne Costes (1892-1973) and Maurice Bellonte

King of Air Fighters (photogravure)
STC398781 King of Air Fighters (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Major Edward Corringham " Mick" Mannock VC (1887-1918)

Third Air V. C. (photogravure)
STC398780 Third Air V.C. (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: John Aidan Liddell VC (1888-1915)

He showed the world how to loop (photogravure)
STC398778 He showed the world how to loop (photogravure) by French Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Adolphe Pegoud (1889-1915)

A veteran at twenty-three, c. 1918 (photogravure)
STC398774 A veteran at twenty-three, c.1918 (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: James Thomas Byford McCudden VC (1895-1918)

Worlds first aeroplane pilot (photogravure)
STC398767 Worlds first aeroplane pilot (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Orville Wright (1871-1948)

The fatal balloon accident in France - car of the Zenith with the three aeronauts, 1875
3849910 The fatal balloon accident in France - car of the Zenith with the three aeronauts, 1875 by English School, (19th century); (add.info.: M. Croce- Spinelli (killed), M

He Steers his Flight Aloft, incumbent on the dusky air that felt unusual weight. 1810 (etching)
3869782 He Steers his Flight Aloft, incumbent on the dusky air that felt unusual weight. 1810 (etching) by Gillray, James (1757-1815) (after); (add.info)

First aerial crossing of the English Channel (engraving)
3869766 First aerial crossing of the English Channel (engraving) by Unknown artist, (18th-19th century); (add.info.: First aerial crossing of the English Channel, 7th January 1785)

Mr Sadlers Ascent from Hackney, 1811 (print)
3869781 Mr Sadlers Ascent from Hackney, 1811 (print) by Elmes, William (fl.1797-1814); (add.info.: Depiction of Englands first balloonist, James Sadler (1753-1828)

First flying V. C. (photogravure)
STC398777 First flying V.C. (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse VC (1887-1915)

Lone hero of a battle in the clouds (photogravure)
STC398769 Lone hero of a battle in the clouds (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Group Captain Lionel Wilmot Brabazon Rees VC (1884-1955)

For eighteen years he flew and then (photogravure)
STC398766 For eighteen years he flew and then.. (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Hon)

Thomas E. Grant with Mr Lewis Turner in a Flying Machine to Photograph the Eclipse
498398 Thomas E. Grant with Mr Lewis Turner in a Flying Machine to Photograph the Eclipse, 1912 (b/w photo) by Grant, Thomas E

Beaumonts Bleriot monoplane arriving in Rome winning the Paris-Rome air race
4072611 Beaumonts Bleriot monoplane arriving in Rome winning the Paris-Rome air race, 1911 (colour print) by Montaut, Marguerite (Gamy) (fl.1909-14); Private Collection; (add.info.: Paris-Rome)

Warnefords winning smile (photogravure)
STC398775 Warnefords winning smile (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Flight-sub-Lieutenant Reginald Alexander John Warneford VC (1892-1915)

One-man destroyer of the air, c. 1935 (photogravure)
STC398773 One-man destroyer of the air, c.1935 (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Fairey Fantome)

Valiant veteran of the Air Service (photogravure)
STC398761 Valiant veteran of the Air Service (photogravure) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Air Commodore Charles Rumney Samson (1883-1931)

The fatal balloon accident in France - car of the Zenith with the three aeronauts, 1875
3869759 The fatal balloon accident in France - car of the Zenith with the three aeronauts, 1875 by English School, (19th century); (add.info.: M. Croce- Spinelli (killed), M

Aerostatic machine 126 feet high by 100 feet wide, c. 1784 (print)
3869783 Aerostatic machine 126 feet high by 100 feet wide, c.1784 (print) by French School, (18th century); (add.info.: Depiction of Le Flesselles balloon used by Joseph Montgolfier for his ascent)

A new conveyance in the regions of folly, or the ladies balloon dress for the year 1786, 1786 (print)
3869776 A new conveyance in the regions of folly, or the ladies balloon dress for the year 1786, 1786 (print) by Unknown artist, (18th century); (add.info.: Published 17 April 1786 by W.Wellings)

Henry Tracey Coxwells balloon ascent at Crystal Palace
3869773 Henry Tracey Coxwells balloon ascent at Crystal Palace by Unknown Artist, (19th century); (add.info.: The mammoth balloon ascent of Henry Tracey Coxwell (1819-1900) at Crystal Palace

Two shilling ticket for reserved seats at Mr Gypsons Fourty-Fourth Ascent, 1 October 1841 (print)
3869772 Two shilling ticket for reserved seats at Mr Gypsons Fourty-Fourth Ascent, 1 October 1841 (print) by Unknown Artist, (19th century); Photo © Derek Bayes. All rights reserved 2022

The King, Queen etc. viewing a baloon let off in the garden of Windsor Castle (print)
3869768 The King, Queen etc. viewing a baloon let off in the garden of Windsor Castle (print) by Basire, James (1730-1802) (after); (add.info.: King George III (1738-1820)

Ticket to witness Vicenzo Lunardis balloon ascent, c. 1784-85
3869762 Ticket to witness Vicenzo Lunardis balloon ascent, c.1784-85 by English School, (19th century); (add.info.: Vicenzo Lunardi (1754-1806) was a pioneering Italian aeronaut

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"Early Flight: Pioneers Soaring into the Skies" Step back in time to witness the birth of aviation as we know it today. In a small town called Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17th, 1903, history was made. The Wright brothers embarked on their first flight, defying gravity and forever changing the course of human transportation. With their aircraft known as the Wright Flyer I, Orville and Wilbur Wright took off from a sandy dune at precisely 10. 35am. In just 12 seconds, they covered an astonishing distance of 120 feet - a monumental achievement for mankind's quest for flight. The black and white photograph captures this historic moment perfectly; two determined figures standing beside their groundbreaking invention against the backdrop of Kitty Hawk's vast horizon, and is an image that symbolizes courage, innovation, and relentless pursuit. However, not every attempt was met with success. Another snapshot reveals Wilbur lying next to his damaged machine after an unsuccessful trial in Kitty Hawk on December 14th, just three days before their triumphant flight. This poignant photo serves as a reminder that progress often comes hand in hand with setbacks and perseverance. Undeterred by failure or adversity, the Wright brothers continued refining their designs. A subsequent picture showcases Orville soaring through the skies at approximately sixty feet above ground during Flight 41 in Dayton Ohio's Huffman Prairie in September 1905 – another milestone etched into aviation history. But it wasn't only the Wright brothers who were captivated by flying machines during these early years of aviation exploration. Postcards celebrating French aviators Robert Esnault-Pelterie and Gabriel Voisin highlight how pioneers worldwide pushed boundaries to conquer new heights. In July 1909 at Fort Myer Virginia’s Army base came yet another significant moment when Wilbur and Orville joined forces with Charlie Taylor to launch an airplane onto its maiden military flight.