A Closer Look
om and Nancy
Valentine built this meticulous replica of a 1911 Wright Model B almost 25 years
ago to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight.
Working closely with the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, PA, the Valentines
carefully copied the Institute's original 1911 Model B. (The Model B on display
at the Franklin Institute is one of two Wright-built aircraft in the world that
have never been modified, other than having the wings recovered.) The result was
one of the most historically accurate flying Wright replicas ever
made.
The "Valentine B" has star quality, too. Before it was complete, the Valentines contracted it to play the role of several Wright aircraft in "The Winds of Kitty Hawk," a biographical film about Wilbur and Orville. Tom and Nancy built non-functional cheesecloth canards and disguised the elevator on the tail so their Model B resembled the 1903 Wright Flyer 1, the 1905 Wright Flyer 3, and the 1909 Wright Model A in the flying scenes.
After the motion picture, the Valentines went over their flying machine from wingtip to wingtip, replacing parts that showed any wear and tear and recovering the airframe in glider cotton. The refurbished Model B went on display next to Howard Hughes flying behemoth, the "Spruce Goose." It eventually landed at the Los Angles Aviation Museum, where it has been for most of the past two decades. During the last ten years, it has not been displayed. The building in which it was hanging was closed because it was not earthquake-proof; consequently, the public could not view the airplane.
As the Centennial of Flight loomed closer, Tom and Nancy took steps to put their airplane before the public once again. They moved the Model B out of the condemned museum building to a hangar while they polished the fittings, tuned the motor, and put the airplane back in pristine condition. Then the Valentines sold their baby to a coalition of Wright-minded folks in Dayton, Ohio. For a short time, it was on display at Wright B Flyer, Inc., at the Wright Brothers Airport south of Dayton. During the Centennial, it'd being shown at Huffman Prairie, where the Wright Brothers developed the airplane and taught their first students to fly.
 Tom and Nancy Valentine's Wright Model B replica is a precise copy of the Model B hanging in the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA, with very few exceptions. |
 Those few exceptions that the Valentines made to historically accuracy were for reasons of safety and airworthiness. This is a flying replica. It was used for the flying scenes in the movie, "The Winds of Kitty Hawk." |
 The replica airframe is precisely the same as an historical Wright aircraft. In fact, the ramp weight is within a dozen pounds of the historical weight. |
 The replica uses wing warping and a flexible elevator to adjust roll and pitch, just as the Wrights did. And it is the only flying Wright replica with historically accurate controls -- levers for wing warping and elevator, and a "bent wrist" adjustment for the rudder. |
 The Model B replica is powered by a Ford Model A engine that has been rebuilt to look very similar to a Wright 4-40. The Ford engine delivers more power to make flying safer -- Model B's were notoriously underpowered. But it does not detract from the historical appearance of the aircraft. |
 Where history doesn't interfere with safety, the Valentines were meticulous. Note the vintage oiler over the rear bearing on the prop shaft. Also note the traditional wrappings on the wires to prevent the flying and landing wires from chafing one another. |