In 1878 Charles Francis Ritchel, of Corry, Pennsylvania, invented an airship composed of a barrel-shaped gas bag attached to a frame with propellers, and powered by a hand crank. Ritchel was too heavy to fly the airship himself, and was thus always forced to find a pilot. The first public flight of his craft was in Philadelphia's Concert Hall in May 1878, and the first outdoor flight was in June 1878 in Hartford, Connecticut. He then went on to conduct many more successful flights both indoors and outdoors, mainly in New England.
Identifier
NASM.2004.0053
Creator
Harper's Magazine Foundation
Date
bulk 1878
Provenance
Jane L. Crotser, Gift, 2004
Extent
0.05 Cubic feet ((1 folder))
Archival Repository
National Air and Space Museum Archives
Scope and Contents
The cover of Harper's Weekly in New York, on 13 July 1878, depicts Ritchel's airship in flight.
Rights
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Restrictions
No restrictions on access.
Citation
Harper's Weekly Cover with Charles Ritchel's Airship, Accession 2004-0053, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.