Wright Flyer I Replica at VITM

Details

Bangalore ::

Published: Tuesday, 25 November 2008 18:57

M G Road

The Wright Flyer I replica constructed by NAL team at the Vishweshwaraya Industrial and Technological Museum.

Sometime in 2002, K.S.Raman a good friend and senior scientist at NAL told me excitedly that NAL is planning to build a replica of the Wright Flyer to coincide with the 100th year anniversary of the first flight of the Wright Brothers. The project was being done for the Vishweshwaraya Industrial and Technology Museum and they have already interacted with the Smithsonian Institution to acquire the construction plans for the Flyer.

The project was originally the idea of T.S. Prahlad, the then Director of the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) and Chairman of the Executive Committee of VITM. Since Dr. Prahlad wanted the replica to be authentic, Mr. Kumar of VITM and K.S. Raman had to find wood equivalent to that used in the original plane. The Wright brothers had used ash and spruce wood; here silver oak and teak were used.

	Another view of the Wright Flyer at the VITM.
A close up of the mannequin pilot on the Flyer. Note the propellers linked by chains which are driven by a motor.

But work on the full-size replica progressed slowly: for one thing funds were slow in coming, and for another, midway through the project, Mr. Raman died of a heart attack. Raman's loss was a tragic setback - he had been an enthusiastic member and the driving force behind many 'aviation enthusiast' clubs. However Mr. Kumar undertook the work after Raman's loss and eventually, the project took nine months and Rs. 15 lakh to complete.

The Wright Flyer I replica seen from the port front quarter. The elevators of the Flyer are in the front of the aircraft.

The replica was unveiled by Air Marshal Philip Rajkumar on Dec 16, 2003. A detailed report on the construction can be read at this link.

Aviation Relics at VITM

The Rolls Royce Avon is the only 'Jet' engine on display	A Pratt and Whitney radial - probably equipped a Harvard?

In the same internal gallery where the Wright Flyer is displayed the visitor will be happy to find several aviation engines displayed. Some of these are WW2 relics. Almost all of them are 'cutaway' to show the interiors

Among the engines noticed were a Rolls Royce Avon engine (that equipped a Hunter), a Wright , a Bristol Hercules Sleeve-Valved Radial engine which equipped the Bristol Beaufighter. and an Inline Packard engine that probably powered a Patrol Boat.

The engine below was a Packard - resembling a Merlin, it was identified as a type that equipped a Motor Boat.	A rare WW2 relic is this Bristol Hercules Radial engine - of the type that equipped Beaufighters and Blenheims.