| Wright Model E | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Wright Model E, over Simms Station near Dayton, Ohio, 1913 | |
| Role | Biplane |
| National origin | United States of America |
| Manufacturer | Wright Company |
| Designer | Wright brothers |
| First flight | 1913 |
| Number built | 1 |
The Wright Model E was the first in the series of Wright Flyers that used a single propeller [1] The aircraft was also the test demonstrator for the first automatic pilot control.
The Model E featured 24 inch tires. It was flown with four and six cylinder Wright engines.
The model E was fitted with a prototype autopilot that used a wind driven generator and pendulums to drive the wing warping controls. The design was quickly eclipsed by a gyroscopic autopilot developed by Lawrence Sperry for the competing Curtiss Aeroplane Company. [2]
On 31 December 1913, Orville Wright demonstrated a Model E with an "automatic stabilizer" flying seven circuits around Huffman Prairie field with his hands above his head. [3] The Model E demonstrations earned the Wright Brothers the 1913 Collier Trophy from Aero Club of America.
Albert Elton (1881–1975) purchased the sole Wright Model E for exhibition flights. [4]
General characteristics
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