The new science and art of flight evolved as inventors created machines to fill specific flying purposes. While the storm clouds of World War I gathered, military aviation became predominant.

The increasing capability of flying machines in 1913 showed that they could be used as a tool of travel and, a year before World War I broke out in Europe, as a weapon of war.

>> View a slide show of Aviation from 1913

5 Comments

1. 1. sciencewiz 12:33 PM 2/9/13

   It is important to remember that during this era there were many black male and female pilots and airplane builders. Such African American pilots and barnstormers Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman (January 26, 1892 – April 30, 1926) was an American civil aviator. She was the first female pilot of African American descent and the first person of African American descent to hold an international pilot license. She lived and performed in Chicago and she also moved and trained in France and the netherlands because white American men would not train her in the us.
   
   She was admired by both blacks and whites. She primarily flew Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" biplanes and army surplus aircraft left over from the war. She made her first appearance in an American airshow on September 3, 1922, at an event honoring veterans of the all-black 369th Infantry Regiment of World War I. Held at Curtiss Field on Long Island near New York City .
   
   In the 1920s, Cornelius Coffey and John C. Robinson met and overcame racial and sexual barriers to become self taughttechnicians and then licensed pilots and remarkebly they built their own planes that actually flew. This is scientific american and these brave innovators and American pioneers of the early 1900's aviation industry, are people who should be noted for thier scientific achievements in this era of aviation science .
   As a professor and scientist I must note that aviation history is a byproduct of multicultural American minds. Propoganda made us think otherwise, but this is well documented history I mention here. These americans died flying. They constantly inspired Americans and kids worldwide to think of limitless possibilities.

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

2. 2. CharlieinNeedham 07:42 PM 2/11/13

   “Isn’t it astonishing that all these secrets have been preserved for so many years just so we could discover them!”
   
   - Orville Wright

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

3. 3. jgrosay 12:54 PM 2/12/13

   The shape of wings in the Etrich Monoplane "Swallow" reminds somehow the swept-back wings, that do suffer unstability under certain flight conditions, specially at low speeds, the North American jet fighter "Sabre" is reported to have been engaged in something pilots called "The sabre dance", that unfortunately killed some of them.

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

4. 4. ErnestPayne 06:57 AM 2/21/13

   Fascinating. Thank you. The American Airmail Society publishes handbooks on the early transport of mail by air and the pilots and aircraft involved. There are also journals on the subject.

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

5. 5. PGracey 02:25 PM 2/28/13

   I too am also curious as to how well the Etrich "Limousine" could fly with that structurally deficient wing whose dihedral seems to have depended upon airflow. In a turn was the rudder's action supplemented by the outside wingtip naturally rising from greater speed and thus causing a slight banking action?
   The other point of interest for me is the very Zeppelin-like cabin with fine aerodynamics. This was a time when the flying speeds of both sorts of craft were similar and their abilities in harsh weather also highly compromised. It would have seemed reasonable for prospective passengers to prefer the Zeppelin, and such was the case. It was also in this year of 1913 that aerodynamic fairings of similar construction were banned from bicycles raced on velodromes.

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this