The team has been building a copy of the 11-metre-long monoplane, which was flown six- metres by Azor Robbins and Alexander Porter across a paddock at Bungowannah on July 27, 1913.

To mark the centenary of the event, the replica will hang after being transported in pieces along Stanley Street on Friday night.

Volunteer engineer Michael Browne and fellow workers have been toiling on the replica in a back alley shed for weeks.

“The most challenging thing of all is to get it to look right,” Mr Browne said.

“About 90 per cent of the work is done in the last 10 per cent of the time.”

Watching the workers yesterday was Geoff Robbins, 77, the great-nephew of Azor Robbins.

“It was a significant aviation project that never got the recognition it deserved,” Mr Robbins said.

The historical society’s social co-ordinator, Bridget Guthrie, is calling for relatives on the Porter side to make contact.

“We believe someone from the Porter family is here, as there are lots of Porters in the region,” Ms Guthrie said.

While the monoplane is not made to fly, it will hang from the roof of the Albury Library Museum for at least five years.

Photographs, the engine and other memorabilia will be on display alongside the plane.

The organisers are expecting hundreds to attend the official opening at 11am on Saturday.