Wright Flyer III sculpture (Dayton, Ohio)

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Wright Flyer III sculpture
Wright Flyer III sculpture (Dayton, Ohio)
Location in Dayton, Ohio
Location Wright Dunbar Historic District, Dayton, Ohio, United States
Coordinates 39°45′25″N84°12′26″W / 39.7568611°N 84.2072382°W / 39.7568611; -84.2072382
DesignerLarry Godwin
MaterialStainless steel, aluminum, bronze
Length40 ft (12.2 m) wingspan
Weight5,000 lb (2,268 kg)
Completion dateApril 2001
Dedicated date2001 (original), rededicated February 2023

The Wright Flyer III sculpture is a public art installation located in Dayton, Ohio, commemorating the Wright Brothers' 1905 flight using the Wright Flyer III. [1] [2] [3] It was created by Alabama-based sculptor Larry Godwin. The artwork features a stainless steel and aluminum model of the 1905 Wright Flyer III aircraft along with bronze figures of Orville and Wilbur Wright. [4] [5]

Contents

Creation and design

The sculpture was commissioned for the downtown Dayton Riverscape project, with Larry Godwin chosen due to his reputation as an authority on the Wright Brothers and their flying machines from a sculptural perspective. [1] Godwin had previously created two other metal monuments honoring the Wright Brothers, the monument to powered flight at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama (1985), and the Wright Flyer monument at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida (1989). [6] [1]

The Dayton sculpture was completed around April 2001 [1] and purchased by the Montgomery County Commissioners for $165,000 in 2001. [6]

Design

The sculpture is a 5,000-pound stainless steel and aluminum model of the 1905 Wright Flyer III. [2] [3] [5] It features a 40-foot wingspan, with each wing containing 900 pounds of sheet metal. [1] The display includes bronze statues of the Wright Brothers. Wilbur is depicted in a prone position on the flyer, reflecting the necessary guiding position for the aircraft, while Orville is on the ground, directing the lift off. [1] A particular challenge in its design was balancing the flyer on a single pedestal. [1]

History

Initially, the Wright Flyer III sculpture was a part of the Riverscape MetroPark, displayed on East Monument Avenue in downtown Dayton for approximately two decades since its purchase in 2001. [6]

In the summer of 2020, the land where the sculpture was located was sold for development, necessitating its removal. [5] It then spent two years in storage at Montgomery County’s Solid Waste District in Moraine. [6]

In February 2023, the sculpture was moved to its new, permanent location at the southwest corner of Edwin C. Moses Boulevard and West Third Street in the Wright Dunbar Historic District, with the relocation project costing over $500,000. [4] The move was a collaborative effort involving Montgomery County, the City of Dayton, and Wright Dunbar Inc., who provided the necessary land parcels for the display. [6] The area has lighting, allowing the sculpture to be seen at night, and includes benches around its perimeter. A curved concrete wall surrounds the statue, bearing the inscription "1905 Wright Flight Flyer III." [6]

Historical significance of current location

The sculpture's current location in the Wright Dunbar Historic District is relevant as this neighborhood is where Wilbur and Orville Wright designed the world's first powered airplane and where African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote his poetry. [7] The district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, National Aviation Heritage Alliance, and the Dayton Region's Walk of Fame. [7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Reports, Staff (2000-09-27). "All the 'Wright' stuff". The Troy Messenger. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
  2. 1 2 Treadwell, Jaine (2023-09-11). "Local artist's 'flyer' lands at historic place". The Troy Messenger. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
  3. 1 2 "Wright Flyer III sculpture moves to new home". dayton-daily-news. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
  4. 1 2 Cole, Ngozi (2023-06-19). "Wright Flyer III sculpture lands in historic Wright Dunbar District". WYSO. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
  5. 1 2 3 "Wright brothers sculpture to be relocated in Dayton". dayton-daily-news. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Staff, WHIO (2023-03-06). "'A great way of celebrating that heritage;' Wright Flyer III sculpture moved to new home". WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
  7. 1 2 "Wright Flyer III sculpture lands in Wright Dunbar Historic District". Montgomery County, OH. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
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