WRIGHT WILBUR: (1867-1912) & ORVILLE (1871-1948) American Aviators who invented and built the world's first ...

WRIGHT WILBUR: (1867-1912) & ORVILLE (1871-1948) American Aviators who invented and built the world's first successful airplane and made the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight on 17th December 1903.
An historically important D.S. by both Wilbur Wright ('Wright Brothers W.W.') and Orville Wright ('Wright Brothers O.W.') individually, being a signed cheque, Dayton, Ohio, 27th January 1908. The partially printed cheque, completed in the hand of a cashier, F. A. Finckhouse, is drawn on The Winters National Bank (marked No.1 to the upper right corner) and is made payable to James Allen, Chief Signal Officer, for the sum of $2500. Signed by Wilbur Wright to the recto and signed by Orville Wright to the verso, the latter with an additional holograph endorsement, in full, 'Returned by James Allen, Chief Signal Officer'. A rare pair of signatures on a highly significant document. With a small tear at the centre, only very slightly affecting the text, and with one file hole close to, but not affecting, Wilbur Wright's signature. Some light overall age wear and minor dust staining, otherwise VGAn historic document marking the birth of the United States Air Force - the cheque that launched the company of 'The Wright Brothers' and won them the contract to produce the first American military aircraft.On 17th December 1903, Orville Wright piloted the first powered airplane 20 feet above a wind-swept beach in Kittyhawk, North Carolina. The flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet. The event immediately attracted the attention of foreign governments in Europe but it wasn't until some years later that officials within the U.S. War Department recognised the potential. A little over three years had elapsed since their first successful powered 'Flyer' by which time the Wrights were ready to offer their machine to the U.S. Board of Ordnance and Fortification, headed at the time by Chief Signal Officer Brigadier General James Allen. The Wright's agreed to deliver an aircraft to the Boards specifications for a sum of $25,000 (a bargain considering the $50,000 the American Government had given Samuel Langley in 1903, for his unsuccessful flight trials). The Board, however, insisted on putting the contract out to tender, despite the Wrights being the only company working on powered flight. So, in December, the Board released an 'Advertisement and Specification for a Heavier-Than-Air Flying Machine'. This specification was primarily based upon the Wright's machine, to carry two men (a pilot and observer) at a speed of 40 miles per hour, for at least an hour, and which could also be dismantled for transport and quickly re-assembled. The purpose of the contract for tender was to discourage irresponsible or impecunious bidders as each respondent was required to deposit with the Signal Corps a certified check amounting to 10% of his bid, to be forfeited in case of failure. As the Wrights had the only machine that fitted the criteria of the specification, theirs was the only bid expected.In January 1908, the Wright Brothers reorganised their business partnership, changing their accounts at the Winters National Bank in Dayton Ohio from the 'Wright Cycle Co.' to simply 'Wright Brothers'. It was now, at this time of prosperity, that on 27th January 1908, the brothers submitted their formal proposal to sell a flying machine as specified, for $25,000. The present certified cheque, representing 10% of their bid to supply the first powered military aircraft to the U.S. Army, was originally accompanied by their tender, and was the first that the brothers issued and signed having restructured their business.The deadline for tender submissions closed on the 1st February 1908, and, unexpectedly, 41 bids were received by the Army, ranging from $850 to $1 million. Most were unfeasible and at the very least impactable, and just three (like the Wrights') were accompanied by the necessary certified cheque. The Army, however, awarded two contracts, one of which was to the Wright Brothers. As agreed, the present cheque was returned and the funds released on the 29th February 1908, as indicated by Orville Wright on the verso of this historic cheque.Following the completion of rigorous supervised trials at Fort Meyer in Virginia (during which time several speed and endurance records were set) the Wright brother's aircraft was officially accepted on 9th August 1909 by the Aeronautical Division of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, progenitor of the U.S. Air Force.Autographs of both Wilbur and Orville Wright together on one item are extremely rare, and the present signed cheque is of particular interest due to its historical importance.The American brothers and aviation pioneers are credited with having invented, built and flown the world's first successful airplane. The brothers' fundamental breakthrough in achieving this was their invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. This method became and remains standard on fixed wing aircraft of all kinds. From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on developing a reliable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem". This approach differed significantly from other experimenters of the time who put more emphasis on developing powerful engines.