What was unique about the death of Lieutenant Thomas E Selfridge

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A.� The question came from HENRY and was soon answered by incitatus: this unfortunate gentleman was the first person killed in a plane crash. I expect you'd like some more details < xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

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Q. �Oh yes.

A.� Very well, then. Lieutenant Thomas Etholen Selfridge was born in 1882. He became fascinated by aviation and tried, unsuccessfully, to get work with flying pioneers the Wright brothers.

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Q.� A poor start

A.� Undeterred, he then went on to get an introduction to Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, who also was fascinated with aviation. In 1907, Selfridge convinced Bell to move his aviation experiments to Hammondsport, New York, where Glenn H Curtiss was building a 40-horsepower, 8-cylinder gasoline engine. There, Curtis, Bell and Selfridge, formed the Aerial Experiment Association with F W Baldwin and J A D McCurdy, financed by a $30,000 gift.

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Q.� And what did Selfridge do with the company

A.� He designed the association's first airplane, known as Aerodrome Number One, or Red Wing, because of the red silk that covered it. It took seven weeks to design and build and was ready for testing in 1908.

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Q.� By Selfridge

A.� No. Selfridge had been called to Washington, so Baldwin piloted the plane. After 318ft the plane stopped and crashed. Baldwin emerged from the wreckage with just bruises. The Red Wing was tested again later, but was damaged beyond repair. Next came the White Wing.

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Q.� Named after its wing silk

A.� You get the idea. This one was Baldwin's design and Selfridge flew it for the first time on 19 May, 1908. He tested this several more times but was then assigned to the Signal Corps Aeronautical Division at Fort Myer, Virginia, where he helped design an army dirigible. This is where the Wright Brothers come in again.

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Q.� How

A.� In September, 1908, Orville Wright went to Fort Myer to demonstrate his Wright Flyer to the Army. Selfridge was anxious to take part in this memorable flight, but had been ordered to go to the Missouri State Fair and Military Tournament for a dirigible exhibition. Fate stepped in, though, and another officer volunteered to take his place.

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Q.� Fate...

A.� Indeed. On the morning of 17 September, Orville Wright flew solo around Fort Myer, but was not satisfied with one of the propellers. So he replaced it with a newer, longer, version in time for Selfridge's afternoon ride. The propeller had never been flight-tested.

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Q.� The afternoon flight

A.� Orville took off in the Wright Flyer with Selfridge and circled Fort Myer four-and-a-half times at 150ft. Halfway through the fifth circuit, there was a loud bang, the end of the propeller blade fell off, and the plane went out of control. Wright shut off the engine and managed to glide to about 75ft. It then went into a nosedive and hit the ground.

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Q.� Tragedy!

A.� Selfridge died three hours later and Wright was in hospital for three months. The Flyer's vibration caused the propeller to hit a guy wire, tearing the wire out of its fastening and disintegrating the propeller.

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Q.� So he died a hero

A.� Yes. Thomas Etholen Selfridge was buried with full military honours at Arlington National Cemetery and a memorial to him has been put up at the US Air Force Museum. An airbase is also named after him.

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Q.� And the Wright Flyer was abandoned

A. No - the Army bought an improved version the next year.

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Steve Cunningham