 |
Langley's
Great Aerodrome Samuel Langley flew a steam -powered model
for 1000 feet in 1896. With this accomplishment and the support of Alexander Graham Bell,
he got $50,000 of government money to build a man-carrying "aerodrome." This is
his vision. It DOES fly, provided you first turn off the various "remove wings" options in
X-Plane. You will quickly see how far from actually accomplishing 3-dimensional flight he
really was. |
 |
1903 Wright Flyer Here is the 7.10 version of the 1903 Flyer. With improved airfoils
and more detailing.>>>Click here to read POH<<<
Updated
to 8.40 Here Round Wingtips, etc...
Brett Sumpter's review: Just tried out the Flyer - it's
"interesting" to fly :) Will it get out of ground effect? I couldn't, but after
a few minor crashes I was able to sorta fly a traffic pattern - barely cleared the airport
fence though. Wish I knew more about the real thing - the model feels like it's way aft of
where the cg should be but the canard incidence is too low, crappy roll authority &
even worse yaw authority. All of that looks remarkably like the old video footage I've
seen of the real deal flying - so I think you've done a good job! [The Wrights thought
that an aft CG would make the a/c more stable. MF] |
|
1905 Wright Flyer
This is the airplane that the brothers themselves thought of as the
first successful airplane. After flying for a continuous 39 minutes, they offered
it for sale to the US Army. |
|
Lt. Dunne's Flying Wing E. Dunne was a brilliant Scotsman who built a remarkably stable
flying wing in 1910. It flies well as long as the weight is grossly understated. At its
real takeoff weight of 1550 lbs, it is, as Lt. Dunne said, "more of a hopper."
For 700 - Beta in progress. |
|
Demoiselle Santos-Dumont designed and built this very personal flyer, and
made the plans free to the public. Unfortunately, only a 120 lb person could fit it. |
|
Bleriot
XI Louis Bleriot came up with a winner with his eleventh
design. After he flew it across the English Channel, it was a major success. After the
50HP Gnome engine was added, it was even more successful. This model has the original 25 HP engine, and a custom panel
from the remarkable FS2002 Bleriot by Joe LoGrasso. |
|
 Antoinette "Almost the first aircraft across the Channel" Leon
Levavasseur developed this huge, elegant, and expensive aircraft at the dawn of the age of
flight. If the engine quits, get the nose down! It glides like a brick at ~30 Mph. |
|
Farmann III & IV Henri Farman was an enthusiastic pioneer aviator. He learned quckly
from the Wrights, and soon had one of the best-known of the pioneer training aircraft.
Capable of pretty good short-field
landings.
With new rotary-engine animation
"technology." |
 |
 Curtiss
"D" Glen Curtiss was the "fastest man
alive" in 1907, when Alexander Graham Bell recruited him to form part of the Aerial
Experiment Association. Curtiss outgrew this group, and built his own plane, which he took
to Rheims in 1909. This is what he flew. Can you guess why the Wrights sued him? |
|
Fokker DR-1 Anthony
Fokker took the idea of the Sopwith Triplane, and applied all his advanced thinking to it.
The result was a superb home-defense fighter. Here in Hermann Goering's colors. With
"working" rotary engine and Spandau LMG guns.
Aslo in a
Red Baron
livery, suitable for further skins, as available from
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/ |
 |
S.P.A.D. XIII Armand-Jean-Auguste Deperdussin was an early French (can you
guess?) aviation entrepreneur. When his company got itself into financial trouble, Louis
Bleriot took over the company, coming up with other words that justified the same
initials. The S.P.A.D. XIII was the culmination of their WWI work.
Here in George Guynemer's colors. With custom panel, sounds, airfoils. |
 |
RAF SE-5a This is the Royal Aircraft Factory's "Scout,
Experimental, number 5." Designed at the end of WWI, its sweet handling and nimble
behavior belie the awkward appearance. |
 |
Dumont's 14bis Santos Dumont
applied his formidable engineering and piloting skills to develop this, the first aircraft
to fly in public. This is adapted from a 5.61 model by Marcelo Marquez. It is far more
stable. |
 |
Dumont's Airships #6 and #9 A Two-fer! Airship #6 was the first aircraft to demonstrate
its dirigibility, travelling from the suburbs of Paris around
the Eiffel Tower and returning within 30 minutes. Airship #9 was Santos' favorite,
which he sometimes used to travel downtown to a cafe (!!). |
 |
Sikorski's Le Grand The world's first "heavy." Igor Sikorski put four
of the largest engines available in 1911 together to make a truly grand aircraft. Set
reliability MTBF to 20 hours for a more realistic experience. |
