100 years ago.

Here is a film clip from the Austrian archives about the Wright Brothers demonstrating their plane in Italy in 1909. What is even more fantastic is there was an on-board camera on the Wright plane and the last part of this film shows it. Wilbur Wright is at the controls on both of the flights

A Brief History: Wilbur Wright und seine Flugmaschine

(Wilbur Wright and his Flying Machine)

Production date: 1909

The images of this film were filmed in Italy on the 24th April 1909 by French production company Eclipse. Even if its origins could be found in England in 1898, the Société Générale des Cinématographes Eclipse was officially created in Paris on the 30th August 1906 and quickly became one of France's four main production companies. After these hours of glory it went into decline, slipping away little by little in the 1920's.


The Orville Wright (1871-1948) and Wilbur Wright (1867-1912) brothers were American aviation pioneers. Bicycles manufacturers, they made the first motor-driven plane flight in 1903.


After a number of tests the Wright brothers improved the prototypes and made increasingly spectacular demonstrations, taking a passenger on several occasions.


In 1908 at the invitation of the Compagnie Générale de Navigation Aérienne, Wilbur transported a "Model A" aeroplane to France and flew it in Le Mans from August. “In the past few years the press had talked about mysterious aviation trials attempted by the Wrigt brothers in America. But as these tests were witnessed by very few peopled, we received the news with some scepticism, and the word "bluff" had even been pronounced. The experiments that Wilbur Wright is carrying out in France at the moment victoriously responded to this accusation.” (Le petit journal illustré of the 30th August 1908). The different demonstrations were given to the cheers of a public that included Louis Blériot, who crossed the Channel by plane one year later.


After other demonstrations in Italy where the film was made, the Wright brothers returned to America in 1909.


In memory of these two pioneers, the Disney studios called the two albatrosses from The Adventures of Bernard and Bianca cartoon Wilbur and Orville.

See the film Click on the photo of the Wright Plane