NO. 5 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AND WRIGHT BROTHERS 7 



be placed clearly before you and your brother. In his report he 

 says : 



The following objects illustrating the Wright inventions would make a 

 very valuable addition to the aeronautical exhibits in the Museum: 



1. A quarter-size model of the airplane used by Orville Wright at Fort 

 Mj'cr, Virginia, in September, 1908. Such a model equipped with a 

 dummy power plant, as suggested by the Wrights, would be quite suitable. 



2. If there are any radical differences between the machine referred to 

 and the one used at Kitty Hawk, a second model of the latter machine 

 would be very appropriate. 



3. A full-size Wright airplane. Inasmuch as the machine used at Fort 

 Myer has attracted such world-wide interest, that machine, if it can be 

 repaired or reconstructed, would seem most suitable. If, however, the 

 Wright brothers think the Kitty Hawk machine would answer the pur- 

 pose better, their judgment might decide the question. 



4. If the Wright brothers have an engine of an early type used by them 

 which could be placed in a floor case for close inspection that will be 

 desirable. 



The engine of the Langley Aerodrome is now on exhibition in a 

 glass case and the original full-size machine is soon to be hung in 

 one of the large halls. The three Langley quarter-size models are 

 on exhibition. The natural plan would be to install the different 

 Wright machines along with the Langley machines, making the 

 exhibit illustrate two very important steps in the history of the 

 aeronautical art. 



The request of Mr. Maynard is rather a large one, but we will 

 have to leave it to your discretion as to what you think it is 

 practicable for you to do. 



Sincerely yours, 



Charles D. Walcott, 

 Mr. Wilbur Wright. Secretary. 



1127 West Third Street, 

 Dayton, Ohio. 



I cannot but feel that Mr. Wright has erred in ascribing 

 to Dr. Walcott any but a sincere invitation to the Wrights 

 to make their own selection of whatever they thought best 

 suited and most available to deposit in the National Museum 

 for the purpose of illustrating their achievements. It is to 

 be recalled, too, that in 1910 the world w^as ringing with the 

 triumphant demonstrations of the Wrights at Fort Myer 

 and in France of ability to make long-continued air flights. 

 At that moment the Fort Myer plane was far more cele- 



