Jack Fellows (B. 1941) "1903 Wright Flyer" Signed lower left. Original Oil painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 37c Wright Flyer stamp issued March 28, 2003. After years of exhaustive and highly innovative research using biplane kites, personally-crafted wind-tunnels and full-scale gliders (during which time they demonstrated their brilliant ability to visualize the behavior of a machine not yet constructed), Orville and Wilbur Wright created their first powered flyer. At about 10:35 a.m. on December 17, 1903, Orville guided the flyer into the air and successfully flew 120 feet in 12 seconds. The flyer, launched from a 60-foot-long monorail track, made three more flights that day, traveling distances of 175, 200 and finally 852 feet (all four flights were witnessed by five local citizens). For the first time in history, a heavier-than-air machine had achieved powered and sustained flight under complete pilot control. Image Size: 16.5 x 14 in. Overall Size: 18 x 15.5 in. Unframed. (B17091)