Click here to view the 300 dpi letter-sized (A4) photo (high-quality 5 MB jpg file w/ very little compression).

Note: In your browser this file will probably be displayed as a 72 dpi gigantic (45.2" x 28.15") photo, same if printed directly from your browser. To print in 300 dpi letter-size/A4 (10.85" x 6.757" or 27.6cm x 17.2cm), you may have to download it and open (and perhaps reformat) it with Photoshop or a similar program. This file was originally saved in Adobe Photoshop 2.5 and opens properly in all versions tested (up to 5.0).

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[640 x 450 photo (72 dpi) of Orville Wright's famous first airplane flight, 1903]

Kitty Hawk, NC (North Carolina), December 17, 1903.
Orville Wright's famous first airplane flight.

Click here to view the 300 dpi letter-sized (A4) photo (8 MB gif file).
See "Note" above.

If that link doesn't work, click here.



On Thursday, December 17, 1903, the historic day, it was Orville's turn to pilot. The strong headwind as he was riding the plane along the track made for a speed that allowed Wilbur to keep up easily, steadying the right wing as Orville had done 3 days earlier. Just after the Wright flyer lifted off the monorail, the famous picture was taken, possibly the most reproduced photograph ever, which Orville had set up (having asked one of the men simply to squeeze the shutter bulb after takeoff).

For more information, go to the Wright brothers history: First Flight, 1903.