Warbird Information Exchange

The current (May) issue of Air and Space has a full-page ad for an original Burgess-Wright, restored and flyable with original Wright four-cylinder engine - this is the aircraft that landed on the White House Lawn. The restoration is by Ken Hyde, which should aleviate any concerns that this is a hoax or entirely a reproduction. Hyde has acquired and restored many early aircraft and build exact reproductions of various Wrights, including the Model B and 1908 Military Wrights that have been the only reproductions displayed at Udvar-Hazy. Anyone know where this was found or if it was complete?

_________________
Kevin McCartney

Apparently this consists of the original hand controls and some of the linkages near the pilot and the sprockets that would have rotated the propellers from the "F-19" aircraft that landed on the White House lawn in 1911. The engine is an original verical four (serial number 43) that may or more not have come from the F-19 aircraft. The aircraft itself was destroyed in a storm about a week after the While House flight.

As far as I can determine, the "restoration" consists of the above parts but nothing else what would be original to the aircraft. The wings, porpellers, sets, chains and control surfaces are all new, though exacting reproductions. The advertisement seems to suggest a completely original aircraft, when the reality appears to me to be more a "reproduction using original parts".

_________________
Kevin McCartney