Glenn hammond curtiss made the first nine flights with the june bug from june 21 to june 29, 1908, covering distances of up to 3,420 feet 1,040 metres. Curtiss dramatic independence day 1908 flight of the june bug suggests that this aviation pioneer merits more attention from historians and the public. Curtiss aviation museum is dedicated to the memory of one americas earliest pilots. Early aviation the june bug was designed by glenn curtiss and powered by a curtiss engine. Glenn curtiss was a remarkable man for his contributions to motorsports and aviation. The sympathetic if largely uninflected birthtodeath story of glenn curtiss 18781930 who, like his longtime rivals the wright brothers, started with bicycles racing his entire career, says roseberry, sprung out of a craving for speed, designed an early motorcycle, experimented briefly with dirigibles, and then turned to what was to be his enduring interest, aeroplanes. The life and times of glenn hammond curtiss by david langley glenn h. Glenn was of the stratford, ct curtiss family, growing up in hammondsport, ny where his first interests in bicycles. No less important, it was the first officiallyrecognized, preannounced and publiclyobserved flight in america.
But beyond that, the group, the friends of hammondsport, wants to build an 11acre glenn h. The first recognized publicly observed demonstration of a powered heavierthanair flyer in america is credited to glenn curtiss, who flew his june bug on july 4, 1908 in front of a huge crowd and skeptical newspaper reporters from new york. Glenn hammond curtiss may 21, 1878 july 23, 1930 was an american aviation and motorcycling pioneer, and a founder of the u. The name was aptly chosen, for it was a success from. In addition, the book doesnt mention that curtiss is credited with over 500 inventions, including several types of wing designs, controls, throttles, brakes, retractable landing gear, pontoons, and amphibious airplanes. Curtiss decided to fly the june bug himself and compete for a trophy and. Curtiss and his june bug wowed the large allentown fair. This flight is considered to be the first preannounced, public flight in america. Glenn curtiss and the wright brothers in reading david mcculloughs book the wright brothers, i came across an interesting segment about glenn curtiss, a person of much interest to many of our society members.
Photo collection cylinder developed edge elevator ellyson engine 8cyl eugene ely f boat feet float flown flying boat forward fuselage glenn glenn curtiss glide golden flier hammondsport horsepower hull hydro hydroaeroplane inches installed interplane j. On july 4 1908, curtiss piloted the june bug across pleasant valley for a distance of 5,090 feet 1,810 feet farther than required. Glenn curtiss place in history the new york history blog. Glenn hammond curtiss was returned to his home town where he rests today in a quiet spot in the pleasant valley cemetery, not far from the site of his historic flight in the june bug. Bells boys completed their third aircraft in the late spring of 1908, the first designed by glenn curtiss. Curtiss memorial park along the southern shore of keuka lake. The museums reproduction was built by volunteers from. During the first decade of the 20th century, the glenn curtiss name was magic in both fields. Brazilianborn french designer santosdumont was making tentative flights and rapid improvements in a pretty primitive aeroplane by 1906. Curtiss is remembered today as the father of naval aviation and the founder of the american aircraft industry.
The flight of the june bug propelled glenn curtiss and aviation firmly into public awareness. The wright brothers, glenn curtiss, and the battle to control the skies. Upfront is the elevator and behind the pilot was the rudder. Glenn hammond curtiss american engineer britannica. Always trying to figure out a better way of doing it, curtiss quickly won aviation kudos with his june bug in 1908 and by the next year he had formed a company with another pioneer, augustus herring, to manufacture heavierthanair machines. The wright brothers and glenn curtiss the history of. Curtiss june bug in flight after winning the scientific american trophy on july 4, 1908. Aea june bugamerican aviation pioneer glenn hammond curtiss flying the aea june bug at hammondsport, n.
Curtiss museums aircraft the curtiss museum is fortunate to have an extensive collection of curtiss and curtiss related vintage aircraft and antique aircraft certainly one of the largest of its kind under one roof. In 1908, he became involved in the aerial experiment association aea, a group founded by alexander graham bell. Curtiss and his june bug wowed the large allentown fair crowd. Curtiss designed the aeas third plane, the june bug, and in july 1908 piloted the first official public flight in the u. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search.
In 1907, riding an 8cycle machine he designed and built, curtiss set a world speed record of 6. Oct, 2009 while the wright brothers threw a veil of secrecy over their flying machine, glenn hammond curtiss perhaps the greatest aviator and aeronautical inventor of all time freely exchanged information with engineers in america and abroad, resulting in his famous airplane, the june bug, which made the first ever public flight in america. What we have here is the worldfamous june bug from 1908. For starters, curtiss supporters hope to fly the museums replica of the june bug in 2008, on the 100th anniversary of that flight. Curtiss museum can be crowded, so we recommend booking etickets ahead of time to secure your spot. Those magnificent men and their flying machines glenn curtiss one of the important fathers of aviation, glenn curtiss, flying his 1908 june bug. Island in aviation and spaceflight, empire state books new york, 1991, p.
Curtiss began his career in the bicycle business, earning fame as one of the leading cycle racers in western new york state. The june bug is famous for winning the first aeronautical prize, the scientific american cup, ever awarded in the united states. Both a thrillseeker and a mechanical genius, he began his career as a bicycle maker and then went on to become the worlds numberone manufacturer of highperformance motorcycles. In this lesson, learn why glenn curtiss left such a legacy in each of these areas. Curtiss museums aircraft the curtiss museum is fortunate to have an extensive collection of curtiss and curtissrelated vintage aircraft and antique aircraft certainly one of. Curtiss was a noted motorcycle builder and racer, who built and produced engines for airships as early as 1906. The june bug is famous for winning the first aeronautical prize, the scientific american cup, ever awarded in the united sta. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. Nov 01, 2007 glenn hammond curtiss was the most important figure in the development of naval aviation if not aviation, period in the united states. The wright brothers and glenn curtiss the history of humanity. Glenn curtiss won world recognition as an aircraft builder and pilot in 1909 when he won the gordon bennett trophy for speed at the first international aviation meet held in reims, france. Dec 17, 2018 in addition, the book doesnt mention that curtiss is credited with over 500 inventions, including several types of wing designs, controls, throttles, brakes, retractable landing gear, pontoons, and amphibious airplanes.
Curtiss began his career in the bicycle business, earning fame as one of the. The flight was made by new york aviation pioneer glenn curtiss 18781930. Working with aea, curtiss designed the june bug, which performed the first publicly viewed airplane flight in. Jan 09, 2020 glenn curtiss 18781930 was a motorcycle manufacturer who became an early aviation pioneer. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Confident of success, the members of the aea informed the aero club of america that they were prepared to win the scientific american trophy, which would be awarded to the first american airplane completing a flight of at least 1 km 3,280 feet. Curtiss and built by the aerial experiment association. Early flight control surfaces are visible on glenn curtiss june bug aircraft pictured in the book. The book doesnt explain that on july 4, 1908, curtiss flew that plane at hammondsport, new york, his home town, in the first preannounced. It was the first of many such communications that the wrights would exchange with curtiss.
A brief accounting of the hellrider glenn curtiss and his. Curtiss won the first scientific american trophy when he publicly flew his june bug a full. This particular airplane was built and flown back in 1976 by volunteers, weve had it in the curtiss museum ever since. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Glenn curtiss 18781930 was a motorcycle manufacturer who became an early aviation pioneer. Curtiss and built by the aerial experiment association a. As early as 1904, he began to manufacture engines for airships. In 1909 he defeated the greatest fliers in the world and won the first airplane race in history, the gordon bennett trophy, for america. Dedicated to the accomplishments of pioneer aviator and father of naval aviation, glenn curtiss. Curtiss and other bells boys gathered around the june big after a triumphant flight. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. He began his career as a bicycle racer and builder before moving on to motorcycles. The book says curtiss debuted a plane named the june bug in 1909.
Curtiss had much success in building new, inventive aircraft, but. In coordination with the aea, curtiss became the second in north america to design, build, and fly airplanes. Working with aea, curtiss designed the june bug, which performed the first publicly viewed airplane flight in america. Making aviation history on independence day, 1908 new york. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. While the wright brothers threw a veil of secrecy over their flying machine, glenn hammond curtiss perhaps the greatest aviator and aeronautical inventor of all time freely exchanged. The curtiss aviation book 1912 by glenn hammond curtiss.
Glenn curtiss 1908 june bug france was equally quick to get in the game. He then joined alexander graham bells aerial experiment association as an engine builder. Glenn curtiss airport, jackson heights forgotten new york. Lua curtiss moved her small family to rochester, new york, so rutha could attend the western new york institute for deafmutes, now known as the rochester school for the deaf. Glenn curtiss the forgotten lone eagle january 11, 20. Glenn hammond curtiss, born may 21, 1878, hammondsport, n. Glenn hammond curtiss and the race to invent the airplane seth shulman on. The exhibit was accompanied by two live test flights by glenn curtiss, a pioneering giant in both motorcycles and airplane flight. The 1912 model f flying boat, which curtiss sold to the u. Unlocking the sky tells the extraordinary tale of the race to design, refine, and manufacture a manned flying machine, a race that took place in the air, on the ground, and in the courtrooms of america. The next year curtiss flew a plane called the june bug which he designed, created and fashioned with one of his engines. Mar 22, 2016 shortly after, curtiss offered a free engine to the wrights for use in their plane, but again they refused. On july 4, 1908, glenn curtiss piloted the june bug on the flight that was to win for him the scientific american trophy and the ultimate honor of being awarded u.
Jul 04, 2016 curtiss dramatic independence day 1908 flight of the june bug suggests that this aviation pioneer merits more attention from historians and the public. The flight of the june bug official souvenir program by glenn h. This was the first longdistance citytocity flight between albany, ny and new york city. Making aviation history on independence day, 1908 the new. Glenn hammond curtiss 1878 1930 was an american aviation pioneer and a founder of the u. For the aviation enthusiast, come visit the glenn curtiss museum in hammondsport, ny. Curtiss museum, located within the finger lakes in hammondsport, ny, is more then just an aviation museum on aircraft history it also includes a significant motorcycle collection of early motorcycles including vintage antique motorcycles and hammondsport history.
According to archivist nancy mccrave of the rochester school, rutha attended from september 1889 to june 1903. But frances equally remarkable henry farman has largely faded into memorys mists. Curtiss was later persuaded to put the elevator back with the rudder, where we see it today. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Glenn h curtiss museum admission ticket hammondsport.