Actually, this plane was far more than a replica. It was so precisely executed that it was issued serial number 2 for the design. It was a labor of love by Jim Wright that took years and reportedly some 15,000 man-hours of labor. I recently saw the original H-1 in the Smithsonian. It was more than an airplane, it was a work of art.

To those of us who love airplanes, this is a terrible loss. To those of us who love airplane people, the loss is indescribable. Jim Wright was the finest kind of airplane people. I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Wright, but I feel I've lost a friend.

According to some eyewitness reports, Mr. Wright swerved at the last moment to avoid injuring innocent people on the ground. That's just what an airplane person would do.