List of aircraft (pre-1914)
This list provides an overview of significant heavier-than-air aircraft and other flying machines developed before 1914. This period represents the early years of aviation, encompassing the pioneering efforts to achieve powered, sustained, and controlled flight. The aircraft listed below are categorized by type, where applicable, and include notable examples of early designs and operational aircraft.
Key Concepts of the Era:
- Wing Warping: A method of lateral control, pioneered by the Wright brothers, where the wingtips were twisted to change the angle of attack and induce a rolling motion.
- Ailerons: Hinged control surfaces located on the trailing edge of the wings, providing lateral control. Developed independently by several inventors, including Robert Esnault-Pelterie and, earlier, by the Wrights, though initially resisted by them.
- Elevators: Control surfaces used to control pitch, typically located on the tail or the front of the aircraft (canard configuration).
- Rudders: Control surfaces used to control yaw, located on the tail.
- Biplane: An aircraft with two wings stacked one above the other. A common configuration in early aircraft due to its structural strength.
- Monoplane: An aircraft with a single wing.
- Tractor Configuration: An aircraft with the propeller(s) located in front of the wing, pulling the aircraft through the air.
- Pusher Configuration: An aircraft with the propeller(s) located behind the wing, pushing the aircraft through the air.
Notable Aircraft (pre-1914):
- Wright Flyer (1903): The first successful sustained, controlled, powered heavier-than-air manned flight.
- Wright Flyer II (1904) & III (1905): Improved versions of the original Flyer. The Flyer III marks a significant advance towards practical flight.
- Voisin biplanes: Early French biplanes built by the Voisin brothers, influential in popularizing aviation in Europe. Several variants existed.
- Santos-Dumont 14-bis (1906): A canard biplane powered by an Antoinette engine, and the first heavier-than-air aircraft to make a public, officially observed flight in Europe.
- Antoinette series: A series of monoplanes designed by Léon Levavasseur. Known for their elegant design and Antoinette engines.
- Bleriot XI (1909): A successful monoplane designed by Louis Blériot. Famously flown across the English Channel in 1909.
- Farman biplanes: Biplanes designed and built by Henry Farman. They were among the most popular and widely used aircraft of their time.
- Curtiss biplanes: Glenn Curtiss's early biplane designs. Known for using ailerons for lateral control.
- Nieuport monoplanes: Fast and streamlined monoplanes. Became popular before World War I.
- Taube monoplanes: A series of monoplanes designed by Igo Etrich. Widely used by the Austro-Hungarian military.
- Cody aircraft: Aircraft designed and built by Samuel Franklin Cody in Britain. Often large and innovative designs.
- Avro triplanes: Early triplane designs from Avro.
- Short biplanes: Early British biplanes. The Short S.27 was a notable early design.
Other Early Pioneers and Prototypes:
Numerous other inventors and experimenters attempted to build and fly aircraft during this period. While many of these designs were unsuccessful or did not achieve widespread recognition, they contributed to the overall development of aviation technology. These include designs by:
- Ader
- Maxim
- Phillips
- Stringfellow
- Lilienthal (gliders, pre-dating powered flight)
Note: This list is not exhaustive, and numerous other aircraft and designs existed during this formative period. The aircraft listed here represent some of the most significant and influential examples. The distinction between "aircraft" and "prototype" can be blurry during this early period, as many designs were experimental and not intended for mass production.