New Grant-Funded Equipment Strengthens Aviation Heritage Digitization

September 16, 2026

Wright State University Special Collections & Archives is pleased to announce the acquisition of two new pieces of digitization equipment thanks to generous funding from the National Aviation Heritage Alliance’s partnership grant program. These additions will enhance our ability to preserve and provide access to the region's rich aviation history for researchers, students, and the public.

Preserving History Through Accurate Color

One of our newest additions is the iPublish Pro 3 color calibration system, which allows us to calibrate our scanners and monitors to produce consistent, preservation-quality digital images.

A green computer screen with a calibrator on the monitor.
Calibrating a monitor at one of our digitization work stations so our scans will be accurate to the original materials. 

When archival materials are digitized, the goal isn't to make them look "better” but to create a faithful digital representation of the original material. Without proper color calibration, digitized photographs and documents can appear too warm, too cool, too dark, or too faded, which unintentional altering the appearance of the original artifact.

A person flying an early aircraft and another person watching (first flight photograph). The entire photo is green.
A simulated example (above) and a color-accurate example (below) of Orville Wright taking off in 1903, demonstrating the importance of color calibration. 
A person flying an early aircraft and another person watching (first flight photograph).

By incorporating color calibration into our workflow, we can create reliable digital surrogates that better preserve the visual integrity of our collections while meeting professional digitization standards.

Bringing Historic Negatives to Life
A person sitting at a computer with a negative scanner to their left.
Using the Plustek.

The grant also funded the purchase of a Plustek OpticFilm 8300i scanner, allowing us to digitize photographic negatives at high resolution while capturing exceptional detail.

Many historical images exist only as fragile negatives, which can deteriorate over time through handling and environmental exposure. Digitizing these materials not only protects the originals by reducing future handling but also makes them available to researchers around the world.

One of the first negatives we digitized with the new scanner features Katharine Wright with Scipio, Orville Wright's beloved Saint Bernard. While the Wright brothers are best known for their pioneering achievements in aviation, photographs like this offer a more personal glimpse into the family's daily life and preserve the stories behind one of America's most influential families.

A woman in a dress bending down to pet a puppy Staint Bernard.
Katharine Wright pictured with Scipio, Orville Wright’s dog, at Hawthorn Hill, circa 1917.
Supporting Access to Aviation Heritage

Together, these new tools strengthen our ongoing commitment to preserving the Dayton region's extraordinary aviation legacy.

Whether digitizing iconic photographs of the Wright brothers or personal family snapshots like Katharine and Scipio, these technologies help ensure our collections remain accessible for future generations while preserving the authenticity of the original materials.

We are grateful to the National Aviation Heritage Alliance for supporting our digitization work and investing in the long-term preservation of our community's aviation heritage. Their support enables us to continue caring for these irreplaceable collections and sharing them with audiences near and far.