Aviation Museums
and airworthy collections
John W. Berry, Sr.
Wright Brothers National Museum
Carillon Historical Park, 1000 Carillon Blvd, Dayton, OH 45409
Date of visit: 28th October 2022
Located within the Carillon Historical Park, Dayton, the John W. Berry, Sr. Wright Brothers National Museum exhibits more Wright artifacts than any other place in the world, including the original 1905 Wright Flyer III. This is the first airplane designated as a National Historic Landmark, and regarded as the first ever practical flying machine. It could repeatedly take off, fly under pilot control for a significant length of time, and land undamaged. Tests of the airplane were carried out at the nearby Huffman Prairie Flying Field throughout 1905, staying airborne for 262 minutes in just 50 flights. On 5th October 1905, Wilbur flew the plane for over 24 miles in 39 minutes, a new world record. Approximately two weeks later, the brothers ceased their experiments satisfied they now had a practical airplane that they could market.
1905 Wright Flyer III
Referred to as “the first pilot’s last project,” preserving the 1905 Wright Flyer III for Carillon Historical Park was Orville Wright’s last major project before he died on 30th January 1948, two years prior to the opening of the Park. Orville assisted in the design of the Wright Hall, the building in which the 1905 Wright Flyer III is housed. He wanted to show the plane below Ground level so that visitors could view from above and understand how the controls operated.
Entrance to the museum is via the Wright bicycle shop—a replica of Wilbur and Orville’s fifth and final store at 1127 W. Third St. in West Dayton. The cycle shop resembles how the Wright brothers’ store would have appeared between mid-October to mid-December 1901.
In 1936, Henry Ford purchased the original building, with Orville’s endorsement, and was moved two years later and dedicated at Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
