Aero History
Once Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully flew their aircraft, the general public's interest in aviation skyrocketed. At first A-Frame twin pushers were the aircraft of choice but as aeromodelers gained experience flying their models, designs began to more closely resemble full scale aircraft. With Charles Lindbergh's successful flight across the Atlantic in 1927, companies also quickly recognized the nation's interest in aviation, and for the first time began to offer model airplane kits.
Model aviation building and technology continued to develop through the 1930s and early 1940s, with such advances as miniature gas engines and balsa wood. With the outbreak of World War II though, as with almost every part of daily life, things began to change. Many modelers joined the military, and rationing of critical war materials limited the types of supplies available for aeromodeling.
In the first portion of the main gallery, visitors can follow this development, from the A-frame pusher design to the model airplane kits available during World War II.
As you enter this portion of the gallery, the first window display highlights the excitement surrounding aviation at the turn of the 20th century. |
As aeromodelers gained experience, they began to experiment with new designs for their models. This included the first scale models, aircraft built to duplicate the appearance of the full-scale aircraft making news across the world. |
In this photo you can see our window displays highlighting two of the early model airplane kit manufacturers, the Ideal Aeroplane & Supply Company and the Cleveland Model & Supply Company. The display cube on the right highlights early aeromodeling clubs while the cube on the left highlights modeling during World War II. |
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