This recent render is something that one day may become a Poser conversion. I add to when I get spare time (I started this in May 2005!). The concept assumes that different materials (steel & carbon) and propulsion systems were developed in time to be incorperated into the 1903 Wright Flyer design. For good measure the 'Flyer' is now a float plane too. When this eventually gets completed I'll see how it fares in Poser 5 and 6 to decide if conversion is suitable. More power from jet engines means a co pilot could be added, I think.

Attached Link: http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/arch/collections/techdraw/wrights.cfm

The free download plan used to help get the propotions correct came from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Earlier, out of curiosity, I tried this in Poser 4 with a plain white material applied. The structure as seen generates an .obj file size of just under 10MB. A finished version (if pursued) would after some optimisation probably be around 12 MB.

Cool model! Excellent work, but what's with the jet engine? Adding a jet engine to this plane is a very bad idea. The structure of the plane couldn't suppurt and handle an engine like that. Besides, they still hadn't invented it in 1903.....

To me, It would be better if it was actually a model of the wright brother`s plane without any added engines or design changes.

the drag from the wires and floats would be enormous..I remember them making a copy in '03 (this century), and it ws fragile to the max..aerodynamically unsound..but great modeling, btw..;)

I love the hybrid design. Impractical, yes, but perfect to pilot in certain fantasy scenes. I would love to use it with the jets and carbon fibre construction.

OT Comment: the idea of controlling turn by warping the wing, which the Wrights invented and perfected, was dropped by aviation early on. Now, in the most advanced concept jets, they are bringing it back...warping the wing instead of manipulating flaps and such. I just think that is such a cool thought! The 1903 Wright Flyer, most successful airplane every built. ::::: Opera :::::

I'm reminded of a picture I came across online some time ago, apparently a photoshopped spoof. A Wright Flyer hanging from the wing of a B-52, just like the X-15... =)

Becco, Thanks for the link to the plans. I've made a bookmark. It is interesting to remeber that Orville lived until 1948 and so witnessed the dawn of the jet age. Perhaps one morning in his ending years he humorously/wryly juxtaposed his Flyer with jet engines! Your model could be something out of his fantastic dreams. Question on your beautiful monochrome render in post3. "...with a plain white material applied. The structure as seen generates an .obj file size of just under 10MB..." Would you say that render time was to any degree faster with just the white material applied? In other words, given any scene in Poser, does eliminating (desaturating) all color and rendering in "grayscale" improve render time? ::::: Opera :::::