"Flight by machines heavier than air is unpractical and insignificant, if not utterly impossible." - Simon Newcomb 1902
"We do not consider that aeroplanes will be of any use for war purposes." - The British Secretary of State for War 1910
"In the opinion of competent experts, it is idle to look for a commercial future for the flying machine..." - WJ Jackman and Thomas Russell, 1910
Museum of Flight, 100 Years of Aviation History commemorates just how wrong predictors can be in a beautiful coffeetable format with extensive photography showcasing the museum's fabulous collection. The DVD, narrated by John Cullum (actor Northern Exposure) is exclusive and originally created by Boeing to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the B29 Superfortress.
Contributors range from Richard Bach (pilot and author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull), Alan Mulally (CEO Boeing Commercial Aircraft), Buzz Aldrin, Pinky Nelson and Bill Anders (astronauts Apoolo 11, 13 and space shuttle Challenger)in honoring the 100th Anniversary of flight. Without a doubt this book proves that a good idea is worth following. No matter the opposition!
From the Wright brothers' sand dunes to the surface of the moon, aviation technology grew exponentially in the twentieth century. Although the discovery of flight took hundreds of years, once made, improvements on air transport moved at an astounding pace. The Wrights quickly improved upon their first success--by 1905 they had developed a fully practical airplane, the Flyer 3. This was followed by rapid design advances on both sides of the Atlantic, and by the time Bleriot crossed the English Channel in 1909, it was clear that these flying contraptions might be useful for more than quick thrills.
Although the Europeans initially lagged in aviation development, they caught up rapidly once military advantages were realized. The fact that planes could be used in warfare presented a whole new host of possibilities. Fueled by military funding, aircraft quickly evolved. From WW1-era planes to the amazing M/D~21 Blackbird spy plane, military use of aircraft formidably changed the way nations interact in times of war and peace.
Even as airplanes altered the face of warfare internationally, they were changing the way people did business on the American home front. After the advent of domestic airmail service in 1918, cargo and passenger transport began to be recognized as lucrative commercial endeavors. Boeing's luxurious Model 80 established a new standard in passenger transport with its comfort and the use of in-flight stewardesses, now known as flight attendants. Technical advances in the 1930s amd 1940s proved flying an affordable and safe experience, ushering in a golden age of commercial aviation. With the arrival of jet transport and the groundbreaking impact of aircraft such as Boeing's 747 "jumbo jet," it became clear that airplanes would change the way we view and "visit" the world.
Having had profound impact on twentieth century history, aircraft are here to stay, and their adaptability to a wide variety of uses has led to new heights of human invention. The Museum of Flight celebrates each and every stage with an extended collection of aircraft ~ From the Wright Brothers to the Moon!
