W. Starling Burgess was a yacht designer who had designed and flown a number of aircraft in collaboration with several different partners. Burgess agreed to build Wright airplanes under contract with the Wright Company, provided he paid a 20 percent royalty to the Wright Company on each airplane sold (Crouch, p. 461).

Completed in April, 1911, Burgess' first Wright aircraft was the nineteenth aircraft he had built, which led to its designation of F-19. It was also affectionately known as "the Moth". The aircraft was modified from the Wright Model "B", with a reinforced, heavier airframe (Mansfield, p.17). The aircraft was sold to Charles K. Hamilton, who began the aircraft's long and varied career.