Wings or wheels: the Wright Flyer meets the Aerocar

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What is historically more important in this great shot — the car or the aeroplane? Let’s take a closer look. The plane is said to be the famous Wright Flyer, in one of its three incarnations. The Flyer, of course, was the pioneering aircraft designed and built by the Wright brothers. It is believed to be shown here being towed to the Fort Myer airfield in Virginia for testing. According to the information provided: “The car is an Elmore, year unknown, but testing was done in 1909, so circa 1908–1909 would be the estimate.”

But is it really? Somebody on the AACA forum — that’s the Antique Automobile Club of America — doubted that identification, suggesting instead that this could be an Aerocar from 1907 or 1908. Looking up pictures of Aerocars does show that the script on the radiator looks very similar indeed.

Now, the Aerocar is an interesting one in its own right — and what a suitable name for towing an aeroplane! The Aerocar Motor Company was established in 1905 by a man named Alexander Malcolmson, who had, in fact, been the primary financial backer of another car manufacturer two years earlier: the Ford Motor Company. Yes, Malcolmson and Henry Ford were in it together initially — but it wouldn’t last long. While Malcolmson wanted to manufacture expensive cars for the wealthy few (a profitable market at the time, or so he believed), Ford wanted to focus on affordable cars for the masses.

And so Malcolmson left the board and went his own way, setting up his own motor company in Detroit. Oh — and the name “Aerocar” referred to the car’s use of an air-cooled engine. It didn’t last long, though; the company was unable to find use for the 500 four-cylinder, 20-hp engines they’d ordered from the Reeves Pulley Company. By 1909 the last Aerocar had been built, and the following year the company merged with Hudson. It seems that the ideas of Malcolmson’s nemesis, Henry Ford, were the better bet after all…

Words: Jeroen Booij
Picture: National Air and Space Museum

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