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Dr. Bell's Aerial Experiment Association , or AEA, was a group of three young engineers, and Curtiss, their engine expert .
Each of the four members designed their own craft. Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge, on special leave from the U.S. Army was chosen to build his design first, as a reward for piloting Dr. Bell's kite 'Cygnus'. Dr. Bell thought that the solution to manned flight would be powered kites. Dr. Bell also felt that in the future winged aircraft would be called  'aerodromes', so Selfridge's design was called  'Drome No. 1'

Escaping the harsh winters of Nova Socita, where Dr. Bell had his home and laboratories, the team moved south to Hammondsport, N.Y. where Drome No. 1 was modified. Adding runners to use on frozen Lake Keuka, Curtiss's V-8 air cooled engine, and recovered with red silk, it was renamed 'Red Wing'
Two months after the move, Casey Baldwin, another AEA member,  flew Red Wing on March 12, 1908. He flew 318 feet and slightly damaged the craft on  landing.

Repairs took a couple of days. After flying 120 feet, Baldwin crashed in unfavorable winds, destroying Red Wing

Lt. Selfridge would die the next year in a plane piloted By Orville Wright at the Government trials. He thus gains the distinction of being the first person killed in a powered airplane crash.
 

 

The Red Wing (or Aerodrome #1) was an early aircraft designed by Thomas Selfridge and built by the Aerial Experiment Association in 1908. It was named for the bright red color of its silk wings - chosen to achieve the best result with the photography techniques of the day.

On March 12, 1908 Frederick W. Baldwin piloted the aircraft off the frozen Keuka Lake near Hammondsport, New York in what would be the first public demonstration of a powered aircraft flight in the United States as well as the first flight by a Canadian pilot.

The aircraft covered 319 ft (97 m) at a height of around 20 ft (6 m) before crashing 20 seconds after takeoff. The Red Wing was damaged beyond repair.

Specifications (Red Wing)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 26 ft (8.0 m)
• Wingspan: 43 ft 4 in (13.21 m)
• Height: ft in (m)
• Wing area: ft² (m²)
• Empty weight: lb (kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Curtiss air-cooled V8 engine, 40 hp (30 kW)

Performance

• Range: 319 ft (97 m)

 

 

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