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The Wright Brothers: Two bicycle mechanics hold
history’s honor as the first to attain powered human
flight. No film cameras captured that initial flight,
but this early footage shows a Wright plane in action.
Catalog ID: 241768 |
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Early Aviation Experiments: In the years that
followed the Wrights’ success, many would-be inventors
tested their own flying machines. Some left their mark
by advancing technology. Others left a legacy of funny
failures caught on film.
Catalog ID: 311778 |
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WWI Aerial Combat: During the First World War,
fighting took on a new dimension as warriors took to the
skies. A new breed of war hero was born as well. These
scenes include famous “flying aces” such as American
Eddie Rickenbacker and Germany’s legendary “Red Baron” –
as well as a young Hermann Goering, later infamous as a
high-ranking Nazi.
Catalog ID: 491621 |
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Amelia Earhart: An American woman joined the
growing ranks of famous aviators when she crossed the
Atlantic solo. Here, Amelia Earhart celebrates her
journey and speaks to a welcoming crowd in New York.
Catalog ID: 491420 |
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The Autogyro: Visionaries including Leonardo da
Vinci dreamed of something like a helicopter centuries
ago. Making the technology work took a long time. Juan
de la Cierva’s autogyro was a successful predecessor to
the helicopter.
Catalog ID: 242164, 241885 |
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Helicopters in the Military: Helicopters slowly
found their place in the military. By the Korean War
they proved their usefulness in transporting wounded
soldiers – one of many roles they would play over time.
Catalog ID: 500620, 351472 |
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Jet Packs: Many experimental forms of powered
flight have been tested through the years. Jet packs
inspired science fiction writers and cartoon artists,
but they have not found widespread practical use.
Catalog ID: 500957, 12546 |
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Air Traffic Control: As passenger travel became
more popular, technology endeavored to keep the skies
safe. These scenes show busy air traffic controllers at
work in the early 1960s.
Catalog ID: 18694 |
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Beyond the Skies: Less than 60 years after the
first man flew in an airplane, a human being flew into
space. Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbited the earth in 1961.
This Soviet film celebrates his momentous achievement.
Catalog ID: 448123 |
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Faster and Faster: No longer a novelty, air
travel became big business and airlines looked for ways
to attract customers. One possibility was making travel
faster. The Concorde made supersonic flight a reality
for passengers.
Catalog ID: 11913 |
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Bigger and Bigger: Building bigger planes was
another approach to attracting business. The Boeing 747
was an astounding giant when first unveiled.
Catalog ID: 365135 |
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Space Shuttle: The goal of a reusable space
orbiter propelled research and testing for years. The
pioneering space shuttle Columbia launched in 1981;
sadly, the same craft met tragedy years later. Now that
China has become the third nation to put a human in
space, the world waits to see what is to come in the
next century of flight.
Catalog ID: 437556 |
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