The most famous photo of Wilbur WRIGHT flying over Hunaudieres horse track

This famous photo, used generlly as a post card, was taken between 6.25pm and 6.26pm (official time of 1908 i.e. between 8.25pm and 8.26pm official time of 2008) on 8th August 1908 after the 1st half lap done by the Flyer over Hunaudieres horse track.

The attendance is small, we usually consider that a maximum of about 60 persons witnessed the 1st flight. Some French pioneers were already there, among them Louis BLERIOT and Rene GASNIER du FRESNE, and some other proeminent personalities including Russian officers. The geopolitical background is also already here during this 1st flight.

We can see on the photo the WRIGHT wooden made shed. Hunaudieres horse track is the 3rd location in the world where the WRIGHT brothers built such a shed. They started with Kitty Hawk (North Carolina, USA) because their tent was constantly blown away. In addition this building of Kitty Hawk dunes was used as a shop, a kitchen, a sleeping room and a warehouse for the gliders or the Flyer I. The 2nd location was Huffman Prairie field near Dayton (Ohio, USA) where the WRIGHT brothers made the 1st practical historical long flights among them the famous flight of more than 38 kilometers on 5th October 1905. After Hunaudieres (Le Mans, Sarthe, France) a 4th WRIGHT wooden made shed was built at Auvours artillery camp (Champagne, Sarthe, France). The building of this Auvours camp shed started even beforeWilbur left Hunaudieres horse track.

Behind the shed we can see the still existing house with a cheminee as well as a tree. This different points did help us to re-locate with great precision the take-off point of the wright BROTHERS 1st flight in Europe.