BBC - A History of the World - Object : Fabric from Wright Brothers' aircraft

Contributed by Imperial War Museum Duxford

Original piece of fabric taken from the Flyer, the aircraft in which the Wright Brothers made the first powered flight.

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The fabric used to make the aircraft is 100% cotton muslin, commonly used at the time for producing ladies underwear.This unremarkable looking piece of fabric made a vital contribution to the development of aviation. It represents a unique moment in history when, on 17 December 1903, the Wright Brothers made the first sustained, powered and controlled flights, marking the birth of modern aviation. The fabric helps visitors to understand how the Wright Brothers succeeded where previous pioneers had not. It is possible to trace the development of aviation technology from that very first flight to the contemporary aircraft of today. This inaugural flight changed the course of history in the 20th century - enabling technological advancement, world exploration, socio-demographic change, economic developments and strategic aerial warfare. Without this piece of fabric and the flight of this aircraft, none of the aircraft that are so admired today, would exist. Plus, there would be no hopping on a plane to our favourite holiday destination!

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