2-860-685 - Heritage Space/Heritage Images

Wilbur and Orville Wright with Flyer II at Huffman Prairie, Dayton, Ohio, USA, May 1, 1904. The Wrights had a much more difficult time testing their aircraft at Huffman Prairie than at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, due to the lack of high winds. To artificially reach the needed wind speed of 27 miles per hour, the brothers invented a catapult which provided the extra speed needed to become airborne. On September 7, 1904, the Wrights tested the first catapult and it was a success, giving the Flyer II a push to make half-mile long flights.