Key Milestones in Hot Air Balloon History: A Timeline
A list of the most important milestones in the history of hot air balloons, showcasing their development and contributions.
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Explore articles and stories about aircraft and warplanes from WW1, WW2, and more. From iconic manufacturers and legendary aviators to groundbreaking designs and the latest advancements in aerospace, this compilation offers a panoramic view of the rich tapestry of flight.
A list of the most important milestones in the history of hot air balloons, showcasing their development and contributions.
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Early aircraft were the first flying machines to achieve sustained and controlled flight. They were designed and built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and marked the beginning of human aviation. The first successful flight of a powered, heavier-than-air aircraft was achieved by the Wright brothers in 1903, but there were many earlier attempts to achieve flight.
The Blériot XII is a French aircraft dating back to the pioneer era of aviation. It was also the first airplane to carry two passengers.
The Swedenborg Flying Machine was a sketch made by Swedish scientist Emanuel Swedenborg in 1714. The machine shows a single large wing.
The Blériot XXI was a French aircraft designed and built by Blériot Aéronautique and powered by a 52 kW (70 hp) Gnome Gamma rotary engine.
The De Gusmao Steam Airship was a picture and description of an airship made by Bartolomeu Lourenço de Gusmão to King João V in 1709.
The Bréguet Type III was an early French biplane designed by Louis Bréguet in 1910. This plane was the first to lift six people.
The Great War, or WW1, was the first major conflict that involved the use of aircraft. Although airplanes made an appearance at the outset of the conflict, zeppelins and balloons were widely adopted for reconnaissance and artillery spotting, as well as a few bombing raids over the Eastern front and Great Britain. During the First World War, engineers developed many specialized types of aircraft, such as bombers, fighters, and trench strafers.
The Grahame-White Type XV was a British trainer biplane produced before and during World War I and often referred to as a “Box-kite.”
The Farman HF.20 was a family of French reconnaissance aircraft with adequate performance for use on secondary fronts.
The Nieuport 24 was a French sesquiplane fighter aircraft designed by the Nieuport company and used during World War I.
The Astra-Torres Airship was a French non-rigid airship built by Société Astra between 1908 and 1922 and designed by Leonardo Torres Quevedo.
The Bristol Scout was a single-seat biplane originally designed as a racing aircraft and later used as a fast reconnaissance plane.
The Zeppelin LZ 10 Schwaben was a German rigid passenger airship built in 1911 by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin and operated by DELAG.
The Zeppelin-Staaken Riesenflugzeuge was a group of large German bomber aircraft powered by four or more engines and built from 1915 to 1919.
The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine, two-seat biplane designed by the Royal Aircraft Factory and used during WW1.
The Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 is a British biplane used during the First World War. It typically accompanied the better known R.E.8.
The FBA Type A was a family of French unequal-span pusher biplane reconnaissance flying boats produced before and during World War I.
During World War II, or WW2, aviation became a key component of modern warfare. Both power and speed increased significantly, with fleets improving drastically during the development of the conflict. There were three main types of aircraft used during WW2: Fighters (to shoot down enemy aircraft), bombers (to drop them on targets), and transport planes (to move troops and supplies).
The Curtiss XF15C was an American mixed-propulsion fighter prototype aircraft of which only three were constructed during World War II.
The Heinkel Heinkel He 112 was a German fighter aircraft designed to compete for the 1933 fighter contract of the Luftwaffe during WW2.
The Boeing P-26 Peashooter was the first all-metal American fighter aircraft and the first pursuit monoplane to join the Army Air Cops.
The Kawasaki Ki-102 was a Japanese twin-engine, two-seat, long-range heavy fighter warplane used during World War II.
The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse was a German heavy fighter and bomber the Luftwaffe used during World War II.
The Nakajima B5N was a Japanese carrier-based torpedo bomber used during the Second World War by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN).
The General Aircraft Hamilcar (or Hamilcar Mark I) was a British military glider produced and used during the Second World War.
The Bell YFM-1 Airacuda was an American heavy fighter and interceptor aircraft developed by Bell Aircraft Corporation during the mid-1930s.
The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German fighter aircraft and the backbone of the Luftwaffe’s force during World War II.
The Henschel Hs 126 was a German two-seat reconnaissance and observation aircraft used during World War II. It is derived from Hs 122.