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"The Spirit of St. Louis is a custom-built airplane which was flown by Charles Lindbergh. The Spirit of St. Louis is officially known as the Ryan NYP, designed by Donald A. Hall of Ryan Airlines in San Diego, California. Lindbergh wanted to increase fuel efficiency and he has the opinion that single-engine planes could travel farther and it led to the design of the Spirit of St. Louis, which was one of the most streamlined aircraft at that time. Donald A. Hall decided that the tail and control surfaces would not be altered from his original Ryan M2 design. It resulted to a less stable aircraft, by which the experienced Lindbergh nevertheless approved. There was a dispute about the preference of design since the estimated 40-hour flight would be very challenging in terms of pilot fatigue. Hall and Lindbergh weighed the advantages and disadvantages of the setup, determining that an unstable aircraft would help keep Lindbergh awake and this resulted in a plane with unstable flight characteristics, with a tendency to curve, dip and bank at random times and the cockpit was also purposely uncomfortable, but it was custom-fitted to Lindbergh's tall and lanky frame. Lindbergh also insisted the elimination of unnecessary weight such as radio since it was unreliable at that time. On May 20 and 21, 1927, Spirit of St. Louis, piloted by Lindbergh, made the first non-stop solo transatlantic flight, making him an instant celebrity and media star. He won the $25,000 Orteig prize. Lindbergh subsequently flew the Spirit of St. Louis to Belgium and England before going back to the United States upon order by President Calvin Coolidge. Lindbergh flew the Spirit of St. Louis on promotional and goodwill tours across the United States and Latin America. Spirit of St. Louis' final flight was on April 30, 1928, having flown from St. Louis to Bolling Field, Washington, D.C., wherein Lindbergh presented the historic aircraft to the Smithsonian Institution. The Original Spirit of St. Louis is currently displayed at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, in the main atrium on the same side as the Bell X-1 and SpaceShipOne. Many static and flying replicas have been made. There were three replicas of the Spirit of St. Louis converted from Ryan B-1s for the 1957 film The Spirit of St. Louis starring James Stewart"

The R3C-2 is a racing aircraft built in land and seaplane form manufactured by Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company for the Schneider Trophy race. The R3C was introduced in 1925. James Doolittle won the trophy with a Curtiss R3C-2 but the other two Curtiss R3C-2s, piloted by George Cuddihy and Ralph Oftsie did not reach the finish line. The next day, Doolittle set a new world record. The primary user of the R3C is the United States Army. The R3C-2 incorporates a Curtiss V-1400, 619 hp. The R3C-2 has a crew of 1 and has a maximum speed of 248 mph.

"Piper J-3 Cub is a small and light aircraft built and manufactured by Piper Aircraft and designed by C. G. Taylor. After Piper moved his company from Bradford to Lock Haven, the J-3 replaced the J-2. The Piper J-3 Cub quickly became popular when First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt took a flight in aJ-3 Cub, posing for a series of publicity photos, promoting the CPTP. The Piper J-3 Cub's maiden flight was 1938. Piper J-3 Cub was a favorite among pilots and non-pilots and there are still thousands currently in use. In the late 1940's J-3s were replaced by the PA-11 and then the Piper PA-18 Super Cub, introduced untl 1981. There's a total of 19,703 Piper J-3 cub built. "

"The Beechcraft (now Raytheon) Premier I, a light jet aircraft, first flew on December 22, 1998 flown by Charlie Volk and Warren Gould. It was the first all new product of the Raytheon Aircraft Beech/Hawker combine to fly, and is an all-new entry-level corporate jet designed to compete head on with Cessna's highly successful CitationJet/CJ1 series. Construction of the first Premier I began in late 1996 and rollout was on August 19 1998. The Premier 1 received FAA certification, including single pilot approval, in 2001. It also received FAA RVSM (Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum) certification in May 2003. Upgrade kits for RVSM capability are available for aircraft already delivered. The Premier I is the first composite-fuselage corporate jet to be FAA certified. The Premier I has high-speed cruise of more than 520 miles per hour. A standard-equipped aircraft with full fuel, a pilot and four passengers has a range of more than 1,650 miles and is certified to operate up to 41,000 feet. Last year Raytheon Aircraft was awarded the National Society of Professional Engineers' (NSPE) 2000 New Product Award in the mega size company category for its development of the Premier I. The all new Premier I Raytheon Aircraft is constructed with a high-strength composite, carbon fiber/epoxy honeycomb fuselage, completely produced by computer-controlled, automated machines, giving the aircraft a medium-jet sized cabin at light jet acquisition and operating costs. Last May 2005, Raytheon has announced an upgrade, from Premier I the Premier IA, which received certification in October 2005. The aircraft has an improved interior, seating and avionics suite and 'acoustical liner' to reduce cabin noise levels. "

"On December 21, 1999, the Boeing Plant held a ceremony attended by 1000 employees and other guests. Trans World Airlines (TWA) Inc. took delivery of the last MD-80 to come off the twinjet production line on December 23. The MD-80 is one of the most successful airplane programs in commercial aviation history. Douglas Aircraft, McDonnell Douglas and Boeing delivered 1,191 MD-80s from 1979 to 1999. More than 1,180 are still in service with more than 50 domestic and foreign airlines. The final MD-80, an MD-83 model featuring non-stop range of approximately 2,880 statute miles, brings to 102 the number of MD-80 twinjets operated by TWA. The first MD-80 also known as DC-9 Series 80, or Super 80, made its initial flight on Oct. 18, 1979. Less than a year later, on Sept. 13, 1980, Swissair took the first delivery. The airplane entered passenger service the following month. TWA took delivery of its first MD-80 and an MD-82 on April 18, 1983. The MD-80 is the quiet, clean and modern successor to the popular DC-9. "

"Derived from the DC-9, the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a twin-engine, medium-range, single-aisle commercial jet airplane. It was introduced commercially in October 1980 by Swissair and can seat up to 172 passengers. Douglas Aircraft developed the DC-9 in the 1960s as a short-range companion to the larger DC-8. The MD-80 was the second generation of the DC-9. It was originally called the DC-9-80 before it was redesignated in July 1983 as a marketing move, to show that McDonnell Douglas had an airliner for the 1980s. The MD-80 features a fuselage about 14 feet longer than the DC-9. The wings were redesigned by adding sections at the wing root and tip for a wing that is 28 percent larger. The cockpit, avionics, aerodynamics and engines were upgraded. It also has a higher maximum take-off weight, greater fuel capacity and longer range than the DC-9. The MD-80 has been used by airlines around the world. While many airlines have started to retire the aircraft in the 2000s, it is still flown extensively by some, including Delta Air Lines, on domestic routes. Delta is the second largest operator of the MD-80, after American Airlines. "

"The MD-11 is a widebody airliner based on the DC-10 and was manufactured by McDonnell Douglas/Boeing. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 entered the American's fleet in 1991 as its long-haul international aircraft to supplement and replace the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. The MD-11 is available in four models: passenger, all freighter, convertible freighter and combi. An extended range feature is available on all versions. The MD-11 incorporates three 60,000/62,000-pound thrust P&W PW4462 engines or three 61,500-pound thrust GE CF6-80C2 engines. It has a speed of 588 mph and a range of 7,000 to 10,000 miles. The MD-11 has a seating capacity of 290 to 350 passengers. By January 1998, there were 174 MD-11s delivered and the aircraft was in service with more than 20 operators and has served more than 100 cities in 55 countries with more than 270 scheduled daily flights. The MD-11 retired in 2001 and had earned a reputation as a good passenger/cargo airplane. The last MD-11 was delivered on February 22, 2001."

"The Macchi M.C. 72 is an experimental seaplane designed and built by Macchi Aeronautica, an aircraft company. Macchi M.C. 72 was built in 1931, and was planned to compete in the final Schneider Trophy race. Unfortunately, the aircraft was unable to compete due to engine problems. Instead of halting the development program, Macchi continued work on the M.C. 72. The Macchi M.C. 72 suffered many mechanical defects, as well as the loss of two test pilots who died trying to coax world class speed out of the aircraft. Macchi M.C. 72's design was unique with a fuselage partly metal to the cockpit and wood monocoque bolted to the front tubular portion by four bolts. The final design of M.C. 72 used a double, counter-rotating fixed-pitch propeller powered by a modified Fiat AS-6 engine generating 2,500 to 3,100 horse power. The engines were overhauled in preparation for a record attempt after the M.C. 72's 35th flight. It set a new world speed record on April 1933 of 682 km/h and was piloted by Warrant Officer Francesco Agello. Further development continued as the M.C. 72's designers thought they could break the 700 km/h record and this feat was achieved on October 23, 1934, when Warrant Officer Francesco Agello piloted the plane for an average speed of 709 km/h over three passes. As of 2006, the record remains the fastest speed ever attained by a piston engine seaplane. Though after the aircraft's success, it was never flown again. There's one M.C. 72 currently on display at the Vignia de Valle Aircraft Museum, which is near Rome. "

"The Martin M-130 is a rare but influential plane that was designed and built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. The M-130's maiden flight was on December 30, 1934. On November 22, 1935, the China Clipper, piloted by Captain Edwin C. Musick and First Officer R.O.D. Sullivan flew the first trans-Pacific airmail route. Their range and capacity made them prime candidates to fulfill the over ocean hauling needs of the military during World War. In 1942, the two remaining planes were impressed into transport roles for the U Navy. In 1943, a crash occurred when the Phlippine Clipper hit the side of a mountain as it descended to land in San Francisco and the final M-130 casualty was the China Clipper NC14716, after it was wrecked at Port of Spain. The M-30 is an all-metal flying boat employing streamlined aerodynamics and powerful engines to achieve Pan Am's specifications for range and payload "

"The Learjet 60 is a business jet manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace. The Learjet 60 is an improved version of the Learjet 55, having a longer fuselage and incorporates more powerful engines. Its maiden flight was on June 1991 and received FAA certification in January 1993. The modification that converted the Learjet Model 55 into a model 60 were the results of an aerodynamics improvement program and a need and for increased capacity of the Learjet product line and the modifications include an all new inboard wing cuff added to the inboard sections of the ""Longhorn"" wing and an all new wing-to-body fairing. By increasing the wing cord and the leading edge droop, the wing cuff improved the low speed handling during approach and landing while the wing-to-body fairing reduced the interference drag between the wing and the fuselage. Since the engines were new for this aircraft, a new engine pylon had to be designed. The cockpit's lines were not changed but the fuselage was lengthened. In addition, the blend between the fuselage and the empennage was all new. An all new E/B (Emergency/Baggage) door was added to the right-hand side of the fuselage just at the leading edge of the wing. The final aeroimprovement to the Model 60 was the creation of the distinctive ""Ogive"" winglet trailing edge. This lengthening of the cord near the interface of the winglet and the winglet greatly improved the interaction of the wing's pressure spike with the winglet's pressure spike. The result was a significant lowering of the drag in this area and a significant improvement of the wings efficiency. The Learjet Model 45 winglet blend design took into account the lessons learned from the model 60 and the ogive was not necessary. Finally, the ventral fin was replaced with the hallmark split ventral fins that Learjet called ""Delta Fins."""

"The Learjet Model 35 is a multirole business jets and military transport aircraft manufactured by Learjet and its primary use and operator is the United States Air Force. The Learjet Model 35's maiden flight was on August 22, 1973 and the aircraft gained its FAA certification on July 1974. The Learjet 35A is a variant of the Model 35 also known as the Model 35A. It is an upgraded Model 35 introduced in 1976, replacing the 35. As of January 2007, the US National Transportation Safety Board database lists 19 fatal accidents for the 35/35A. There were 600 35As built. "

"The L-1049 Super Constellation was introduced in 1951. The fuselage was extended by 18 ft 4.75 in and its passenger capacity increased from 69 up to 92 passengers. Its maiden flight was on July 14, 1951. It has an auxiliary wing-tip fuel tanks. The L-1049 Super Constellation could fly nonstop between New York and Los Angeles. When the L-1049G was introduced, the range was increased by 700 miles. The L-1049G featured 100 design improvements over the L-1049E model to make it better. Trans World Airlines named it the Super G and it received a total order of 102. The L-1049G has a crew of 5 with a typical seating capacity of 62-95 passengers. It has a maximum speed of 380 mph and a range of 5,400 mi. Currently, an existing L-1049G (Super G) Constellation built originally for cargo carier Slick Airways was restored by the ""Save-a-Connie"" organization (now the Airline History Museum) in 1986. It was repainted in the 1950s livery of TWA, resembling ""Star of America"" Constellation. The aircraft appeared at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport at the original TWA terminal designed by Eero Saarinen, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the airline."

"The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar is a three engine jet airliner. The L-1011 TriStar was the last Lockheed airliner to be developed and was launched in March 1968 in response to an American Airlines requirement for a large capacity medium range airliner. The L-1011-1 was the first production model of the L-1011 which entered service with Eastern Airlines and TWA in April 1972. It was designed for short and medium-range flights and was purchased by Air Canada, ANA, Cathay Pacific, Eastern and other operators with regional trunk routes requiring a wide-body aircraft. Pacific Southwest Airlines purchased two L-1011 models with lower deck seating. This variant was also the only wide-body ever to have the option for a full-height built-in airstair incorporated into the design, although it remained an option on other variants. In 1983, production of L-1011-1 ceased when 250 had been built. In 1986, the prototype was sold to be broken up for spares. The L-1011-1 TriStar has a cockpit crew for three and has a seating capacity of 253 in a 3-class. It has a maximum speed of .95 Mach and a range of 4,610 mi. There are approximately 156 TriStars which remained in service in 1998, with 122 standard fuselage models. In 2000, the number went down to about 137, with 109 standard fuselage models. By the end of 2002, it dropped further to 51 active TriStars, with 23 standard fuselage ones. Delta retired its TriStar fleet in 2001, replacing them with the Boeing 767-400ER. The airplane was also used in the television series Lost, featuring a dismantled L-1011 formerly belonging to Eastern Airlines."

"Visualize flying the latest evolution of the world’s best-selling midsize business jet. Hawker aircraft have always provided superior payload capabilities, extended range, superb reliability and unsurpassed comfort. And the new Hawker 900XP midsize business jet is certainly no exception. Featuring enhanced winglets and powerful new Honeywell TFE731-50R engines, the Hawker 900XP offers increased hot/high-altitude takeoff, climb and cruise performance as well as a 6.9 percent range increase over the Hawker 850XP. The result? The ability to make one-stop flights from New York to Honolulu an incredible 99 percent of the time. In addition, With its low operating costs, fuel efficiency and the most spacious cabin in its class, the Hawker 900XP represents an unbeatable value. Have it all—unprecedented performance, comfort and reliability complemented by legendary comfort—with the new Hawker 900XP."

"The Gulfstream V is known as the world's first ultra long-range business jet. It is recognized as the safest, most reliable, most comfortable, high-performance, ultra-long range business aircraft in the world. Gulfstream V completes worldwide missions that exceed the capabilities of all other corporate aircraft. From the unique engine performance and advanced communications capabilities to the cabin that offers maximum passenger comfort and productivity, the Gulfstream V continues the Gulfstream legacy of innovation and quality. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engines, the Gulfstream V’s ability to travel non-stop for 6,500 nautical miles and at speeds up to Mach 0.885 sets The World Standard for world travel. Now in its eighth year of customer service, the Gulfstream V routinely flies non-stop from Aspen to Frankfurt, London to Hong Kong, Beijing to New York, and Moscow to Los Angeles. In February 1998, Gulfstream and the GV Industry Team were awarded the prestigious 1997 Robert J. Collier Trophy by the National Aeronautic Association. To date, there are more than 188 Gulfstream Vs in service worldwide. The Gulfstream V, which has set more than 80 world and national records, ended production with the 193rd aircraft in December 2002 when the production line transitioned to the G500 and G550. "

"The 5-AT Ford Tri-motor is a rugged, dependable transport airplane which became the most famous Ford Tri-motor aircraft. The incredible durability of the aircraft was well-proven by NC9683, the thirty-ninth 5-AT built by Ford. On April 12, 1929, 5-AT was sold to Southwest Air Fast Express (SAFE). The company had built 199 %-AT models. It has flown the routes of Colonial Air Transport and later, flew the transcontinental route between Cleveland and Los Angeles. In May 1934, the 5-AT was transferred to the Chicago base and in 1935, it retired from the American Airlines. It was sold to TACA International Airlines and operated in Nicaragua. In 1946, the 5-AT was sent to Mexico, wherein it was used for passenger and cargo hauling until 1954, then, it was sold to a crop-dusting company in Montana. The aircraft ended up beside the a small airfield as someone's living quarters. In 1960, American Airlines required NC9683 and was restored. It was seen flying public relations tours promoting the airline. In November 1962, the NC9683 had made the first regular commercial flight from the new Dulles International Airport, Virginia. The NC9683 was donated to the National Air and Space Museum, hanging in the Air Transportation gallery."

"The DC-7 is an American aircraft built by Douglas Aircraft company in 1953 to 1958 and was the last major piston engine powered transport of Douglas. The early DC-7s were only sold to US carriers. The extended range variant of the DC-7, the DC-7C ""Seven Seas"" was released by the Douglas Aircraft since European carriers could not take advantage of he small range increase in the early DC-7. Pan American Airlines used the DC-7C aircraft to inaugurate the first non-stop New York-London service. Pan Am flew the DC-7Cs for only two and and a half years before entering the jet age. The DC-7 is the largest propeller transport aircraft that Pan Am has ever used. The DC-7C was also used by several other overseas airlines' fleets. In 1959, Douglas began converting DC-7A and DC-7C aircraft into DC-7F freighters, extending the life of the aircraft past its viability as a passenger transport."

"The B & W Seaplane, also known as the Boeing Model 1, was the first Boeing product. It was named after the initials of its designers, William Boeing and Lieutenant Conrad Westervelt of the US Navy. The first B&W, completed in June 1916, was made of wood, linen and wire. Similar to the Martin trainer that Boeing owned, the B & W had, among other improvements, better pontoons and a more powerful engine. The two B & Ws built were offered to the US Navy, but the Navy was not interested. They were sold to the New Zealand Flying School and became the company's first international sale. On June 25, 1919, the B & W set a New Zealand altitude record of 6,500 feet. The B & Ws were later used for express and airmail deliveries, making New Zealand's first official airmail flight on December 16, 1919. The B & W Seaplane has a crew of two. It has a maximum speed of 75 mph and a range of 320 miles. It incorporates a Hall-Scott A-5 Straight-6 piston engine. The primary user of the B & W Seaplane is the New Zealand Flying School. There's a total of 2 B & W Seaplanes built."

"The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser is a luxurious propeller airliner manufactured by Boeing. It was developed from the C-97 Stratofreighter. The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser was the civilian version of the C-97 Stratofreighter, which in turn was derived from the B-50 Superfortress. It first flew on July 8, 1947. Despite serious design flaws and a marginal service record, the Stratocruiser was considered one of the greatest post-war propeller airliners. Extremely complex and expensive, only 56 were built. It continued in mainline service until 1960, when it had been made obsolete by the coming of the 707 and other first generation jetliners. The Boeing 377 Stratofreighter has a seating capacity of up to 100 passengers on main deck plus 14 in lower deck lounge. It has a maximum speed of 375 mph and a range of 3,650 nm. It incorporates four Pratt & Whitney R-4360-B6 Wasp Major 28-cylinder radial engines four-bladed propellers with 3,500 hp each. The primary users and operators of the Boeing 377 Stratofreighters are the Pan Am and the BOAC."

"The TH-55 Trainer or better known as the TH-55 Osage was two-seater light pilot training helicopter used by the U.S Army. The Trainer was initially designed as a fully-glazed cockpit with seating for two pilots, or a pilot and passenger. It also had an open-framework fuselage and a three-blade articulated rotor. Manufactured by Hughes Helicopters, the TH-55 Trainer first flew in October 1956. It was produced as the Model 269 family of light utility helicopters, some of which were marketed as the Model 300. Also known as the Hughes 269 was created with a fully articulated, counter-clockwise rotating, three-bladed main rotor, and a two-bladed tail rotor that would remain as distinctive characteristics of all its variants. It also has shock absorber-dampened, skid-type landing gear. The flight controls are directly linked to the control surfaces of the helicopter so there is no hydraulics in the 269. There are generally two sets of controls, although this was optional on the civil 269A. The TH-55 Trainer was powered by a Lycoming O-360-C2B four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine providing a top speed of 136 km/h and a flying time of 2.6 hours. "

"The CV-22 Osprey is a joint service, multimission, military tiltrotor aircraft. It combines the vertical takeoff and landing qualities of a helicopter with the long range, fuel efficiency and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. Built by the joint development team of Bell Helicopter Textron and Boeing Helicopters collectively known as Bell Boeing, its primary role is to conduct long range infiltration, exfiltration and resupply missions for special operations forces. The CV-22 is the United States Air Force version of the US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey. Formally approved for full-rate production by the Pentagon on September 28, 2005, the Osprey is the world's first production tiltrotor aircraft. The CV-22 is versatile and self-deployable, offering increased speed and range over other rotary wing aircraft. It can perform missions that would normally require both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. It is equipped with integrated threat countermeasures, a terrain-following radar, a forward-looking infrared sensor, and other advanced avionics systems that allow it to operate at low altitude in adverse weather conditions and medium to high threat environments. The first two test aircraft were delivered to Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California in September 2000 for flight testing. The first operational CV-22 was delivered to the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico on March 20, 2006, and aircrew training began in August 2006. Initial operating capability of the aircraft is scheduled for 2009, with a total of 50 CV-22s delivered by 2017. "

"The CH-53E Super Sea Stallion is the largest and heaviest helicopter in the history of the United States Military. The CH-53E is commonly referred to as the Hurricane Maker. Built by Sikorsky Aircraft for the United States Marine Corps, the CH-53E served both the Navy and Marines in the heavy lift transport role. The CH-53E Super Sea Stallion is the larger version of the CH-53 Sea Stallion. The CH-53E Stallion was configured with 3 gas turbine engines and in flight refueling. The said aircraft was used to transport personnel and equipment, lift heavy loads and conduct minesweeping missions. In addition to that, the CH-53E is also used for long range delivery and re supply of special operations and combat rescue missions. The CH-53E Super Stallion van transports up to 55 troops and has an external load lift system that allows the helicopter to carry a load up to 16,330 kg. The CH-53E has a speed of 278 km/h and a maximum un-refueled range of 2,000 km. The range and endurance of the CH-53E can be extended by Flight refueling. The general characteristics of the CH-53E are as follows: 2 pilots, 1 right gunner, 1 left gunner, 1 tail gunner, the capacity of the CH-53E aircraft is 37 troops, payload is at 32,000 pounds, length is at 99 ft and ½ inches, rotor diameter is at 79ft, height is at 27ft 9 inches, Disc area is at 4,900 square feet, empty weight is 33,226 pounds, maximum take off weight is 73,500 pounds and the power plant is 3x general electric T64-GE-416A turboshafts, 4,380 shp each. For the performance of the CH-53E Super Stallion, the maximum speed is 170 knots, range is 600 nm, service ceiling is at 18,500 ft, rate of climb is 2,500 ft/min and the armament are guns, chaff and flare dispensers. "

"The Japanese A6M Zero is the most famous Japanese helicopter aircraft from the Second World War. Its code name is Zeke. The Japanese A6M was built as a land-based, carrier borne and a seaplane. The Japanese A6M Zero is indeed an excellent helicopter. The Japanese A6M aircraft was designed by Mitsubishi, it first flew on April 1, 1939. In addition to this, Mitsubishi and Nakajima built 10,937 Japanese A6M Zero helicopters. The Zeros are said to be the best fighters of Japan during WW II. They were the ones who spearheaded the advances from Pearl Harbor to the Battle of Midway, where Japan lost a number of pilots and planes. A combination of admirable maneuverability and very long range made the Japanese A6M Zero one of the supreme fighters of its era. The Japanese A6M Zero is armed with various guns but the common set up is: two 20mm cannons in outer wings and two 12.7 mm guns in the fuselage. The Japanese A6M is very noteworthy for being the first carrier based fighter to outperform its land based equivalents. The Japanese A6M Zero achieved a famous reputation which was a lot better than its contemporaries. The Japanese A6M Zero’s first variant, A6M1, which is powered by a 780-hp, was first flown on April 1, 1939. The second one was the A6M2 which is powered by a 925-hp Nakajima Sakae engine. Other variants are as follows: the A6M2-K which is a two seat trainer, the A6M2-N which is a Nakajima built float plane version, and the A6M5 which is a performance increased version. "

"The Pfalz D.III is a World War I fighter aircraft manufactured by Pfalz Flugzeugwerke Gmbh. In August 1917, deliveries to operational units began. Jasta 10 was the first recipient followed by Jasta 4. The D.III was generally inferior to the Albatros D.III and D.V. due to its heavy controls, lack of speed, lack of power or lack of climb compared to the Albatros. The aircraft also slipped in turns, leading to crashes when unwary pilots turned at very low altitudes. The Pfalz's primary advantage was its strength and sturdiness. However, the Pfalz could safely dive at high speeds due to its twin-spar lower wing, making it well-suited to attack observation balloons which are usually heavily defended with anti-aircraft guns trained to the balloon's altitude. The primary user and operator of the D.III is the German Empire (Luftstreitkrafte). Currently, there are no known D.IIIs which survived, although there are several flying replicas that existed. "

"The Me-109 Messerschmitt was designed by Willy Messerschmitt and was originally powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel V engine. It was one of the first true modern fighters of the era. The prototype Me-109 first flew in 1935 and that same year, the Me-109 won a fighter competition. The Me-109B and C models achieved great success in Spain with the Legion Condor's fighter unit. The progressive development in the pre-war years resulted in a more powerful and heavier armed versions of the ME-109. The Me-109 was flown by the three top-scoring fighter aces of World War II including Gunther Rall, with 275 victories. Bf 109 was the official designation, since its design was sent in by the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke company and was used extensively in all official German documents dealing with this aircraft. After July 1938, the company was renamed as Messerschmitt AG, the time when Erhard Milch finally allowed Willy Messerschmitt to acquire the company. The ""Me"" designation and mdash (except those already assigned with the Bf prefix) were to be carried by all Messerchmitt aircraft since then. The Me-109 has basically the smallest airframe that Willy Messerschmitt attached to the most powerful engine. The Me-109 remained a formidable air superiority fighter throughout World War II. "

"Gemini 4 (officially Gemini IV) was a June 1965 manned space flight in NASA's Gemini program. It was the 2nd manned Gemini flight, the 10th manned American flight and the 18th spaceflight of all time (includes X-15 flights over 100 km). It was crewed by James McDivitt and Edward White. Gemini 4 would be the first multi-day space flight by the United States, designed to show that it was possible for humans to remain in space for the length of time required to fly the moon and back. A second objective for the four-day, 62-orbit mission was for Gemini 4 to rendezvous and fly in formation with the spent second stage of its Titan II booster rocket. And although not originally scheduled for this mission, Gemini 4 would also see the first ever American Extra-vehicular activity (EVA, known popularly as a space walk). NASA moved up the original schedule after Aleksei Leonov on Voskhod 2 the previous March performed the first EVA ever, lest the US appear to be falling behind the Soviets in the space race. Gemini 4 would set a record for flight duration, and ease fears about the medical consequences of longer missions. It also would also be the first use of the new Mission Control center outside Houston, which because of the flight's long duration, had to conduct three-shift operations "

"The Grumman X-29 was an experimental aircraft that explored a number of new technologies; the most immediately obvious being the forward-swept wings and canard control surface. The inherent aerodynamic instability of this arrangement required the use of computerized fly-by-wire control, and advanced composite materials were needed to make the wing sufficiently rigid without being unacceptably heavy. The Grumman X-29 first flew in 1984 and two Grumman X-29s were flight tested over the next decade. Two Grumman X-29As were built by Grumman Aerospace Corporation, the first flight taking place in 1984. The aircraft were adapted from existing Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter airframes (after the proposal had been chosen over a competing one involving a General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon) The Grumman X-29A demonstrated excellent control and maneuvering qualities at an angle of attack up to 45 degrees. There was also a decrease in turbulence. The first Grumman X-29 craft built is now on display in the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. The other Grumman X-29 craft is on display at the Dryden Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base "

"Space Shuttle Endeavour is one of the currently operational spacecraft in the Space Shuttle fleet of NASA and was the final NASA space shuttle built. In 1987, Endeavour was authorized by the United States Congress to replace Challenger, which was lost in an accident. Endeavour's assembly was composed of structural spares from the construction of Discovery and Atlantis. Endeavour was named through a national competition comprising of students in elementary and secondary schools. In May 1991, Endeavour was delivered by Rockwell International and was launched a year later. In 1993, Endeavor made its first service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. In December 2003, Endeavour completed its latest Orbiter Major Modification period and ended on October 6, 2005 and during that time, Endeavor received major hardware upgrades with new, multi-functional, electroncal display system, GPS and with safety upgrades by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. As of August 2007, Endeavour has flown 20 flights, spent 219.35 days in space, completed 3,259 orbits and has flown 85,072,077 miles. In 2010, Space Shuttle Endeavor will be decommissioned after 18 years of service, along with Discovery. "

"Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is one of the three currently operational spacecraft in the Space Shuttle fleet of NASA. When first flown in 1984, Discovery became the third operational orbiter and is now the oldest orbiter in service. Discovery has performed both research and International Space Station (ISS) assembly missions. Discovery was also notable for being named after one of the two ships that were used by British explorer James Cook in the 1770's, during voyages in the South Pacific that led to the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. Discovery was the shuttle that launched the Hubble Space Telescope. The second and third Hubble service missions were also conducted by Discovery. It has also launched the Ulysses probe and three TDRS satellites. Discovery has been chosen twice as the return to flight orbiter, first in 1988 as the return to flight orbiter after the 1986 Challenger disaster, and then for the twin return to flight missions in July 2005 and July 2006 after the 2003 Columbia disaster. Discovery also carried Project Mercury astronaut John Glenn, who was 77 at the time, back into space during STS-95 on October 29, 1998, making him the oldest human being to venture into space. Discovery is currently in bay 3 of the Orbiter Processing Facility, having concluded a 15-day mission to the International Space Station on November 7, 2007. After the residual cryogenic reactants are offloaded the payload bay doors will be opened and detailed post-flight inspections will begin. According to the current schedule, Space Shuttle Discovery will be decommissioned in 2010. If the Contingency Logistic Flight STS-133 by Endeavour is not flown, Discovery will be the last space shuttle to fly on mission STS-132. NASA expects to launch the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle on the new Ares I rocket by 2014."

"Space Shuttle Atlantis (OV-104) is currently one among the three operational spacecraft in the Space Shuttle fleet of NASA. It was named after the two-masted boat of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts from 1930 to 1966 and it served as the primary research vessel. Atlantis' maiden flight was on October 1985. Atlantis went seven straight flights to the Russian space station Mir. The spacecraft served as the on-orbit launch site for many notable and noteworthy spacecrafts, including planetary probes Magellan and Galileo. In 1991, it deployed the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Atlantis underwent refitting operations and modifications including the installation of a glass cockpit. Atlantis completed an 11-day mission to the International Space Station, involving three space walks in October 2002. During September 9-24, 2005, Atlantis was scheduled for its 27th launch though the mission was suspended by NASA due to the complications during Discovery's launch of mission STS-114 and there are subsequent suspensions of all future shuttle launches. Atlantis was scheduled to fly the STS-121 mission, but the mission was flown by Discovery instead. In the recent years, Atlantis has delivered several vital components, the U.S. laboratory module, Destiny, the Joint Airlock Quest and multiple sections of the Integrated Truss structure that serves as the backbone of the International Space Station. As of September 2006, Atlantis completed 28 flights, spent 220.40-days in space, completed 3,468 orbits and flown 89,908,732 nautical miles in total. Atlantis is scheduled to remain operational until 2010, the Shuttle program's projected end, but is not currently scheduled for any missions further in 2008. "

"The Space Shuttle Orbiter formally started on January 5, 1972 by Richard Nixion. The first orbiters were manufactured by Rockwell International and then later by Boeing. The space Shuttle Orbiter was designed to replace the expendable launch vehicles that NASA was using to deliver commercial, scientific and applications spacecraft into Earth's orbit. The Orbiter's main engines and boosters combined allows the orbiter to reach orbit. The orbiter comprises of three primary elements, the first element, a delta-winged orbiter spacecraft having large crew compartment, cargo bay and three main engines, second is its two solid rocket boosters and the third, is an external fuel tank which houses the liquid hydrogen and oxidizer burned in the main engines. The Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) provides orbital maneuvers which includes insertion, circularizattion, transfer, rendezvous, abort to orbit and abort once around. The Reaction Control System (RCS) provides altitude control and translation along the pitch, roll and yaw axes during the flight phases of orbit insertion, orbit and re-entry. The Thermal Protection System (TPS) covers the outside of the Orbiter, for protection against the cold soak of -121 degree Celsius in space to the 1649 degree Celsius heat of re-entry. The Space Shuttle Orbiter's individual fleets are named and numbered similar to ships. All orbiters tend to be externally and identically similar, but they have minor internal differences. The Challenger (OV-099) was destroyed after its liftoff in January 28, 1986. The Eneterprise (OV-101) was used for test landings. The Columbia which was destroyed during reentry in February 1, 2003. And the other orbiters, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavor. As of August 21, 2007, Columbia and Challenger are no longer in service. "

The orbital spaceplanes are designed to ascend orbit vertically under rocket power like conventional expendable launch vehicles. Orbital spaceplanes has a much smaller payload fraction than a ballistic design with the same takeoff weight. Thus, it significantly reduces the payload size due to the wings' weight, but the reusability is intended to offset the disadvantage.

"Endeavour, the last addition to the orbiter fleet, is named after the first ship commanded by James Cook, the 18th century British explorer, navigator and astronomer. On Endeavour's maiden voyage in August 1768, Cook sailed to the South Pacific (to observe and record the infrequent event of the planet Venus passing between the Earth and the sun). Determining the transit of Venus enabled early astronomers to find the distance of the sun from the Earth, which then could be used as a unit of measurement in calculating the parameters of the universe. In 1769, Cook was the first person to fully chart New Zealand (which was previously visited in 1642 by the Dutchman Abel Tasman from the Dutch province of Groningen). Cook also surveyed the eastern coast of Australia , navigated the Great Barrier Reef and traveled to Hawaii. Cook's voyage on the Endeavour also established the usefulness of sending scientists on voyages of exploration. While sailing with Cook, naturalist Joseph Banks and Carl Solander collected many new families and species of plants, and encountered numerous new species of animals. Endeavour and her crew reportedly made the first long-distance voyage on which no crewman died from scurvy, the dietary disease caused by lack of ascorbic acids. Cook is credited with being the first captain to use diet as a cure for scurvy, when he made his crew eat cress, sauerkraut and an orange extract. The Endeavour was small at about 368 tons, 100 feet in length and 20 feet in width. In contrast, its modern day namesake is 78 tons, 122 feet in length and 78 feet wide. The Endeavour of Captain Cook's day had a round bluff bow and a flat bottom. The ship's career ended on a reef along Rhode Island. For the first time, a national competition involving students in elementary and secondary schools produced the name of the new orbiter; it was announced by President George Bush in 1989. The Space Shuttle orbiter Endeavour was delivered to Kennedy Space Center in May 1991, and flew its first mission, highlighted by the dramatic rescue of a stranded communications satellite, a year later in May 1992. In the day-to-day world of Shuttle operations and processing, Space Shuttle orbiters go by a more prosaic designation. Endeavour is commonly refered to as OV-105, for Orbiter Vehicle-105. Empty Weight was 151,205 lbs at rollout and 172,000 lbs with main engines installed. "

"The construction of the Orbiter Atlantis began on March 3, 1980. On April 9, 1985, Atlantis arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and prepared for its maiden voyage over the next seven months. Atlantis was completed in just about half the time in man-hours spent on Columbia and this was due to lessons learned regarding the construction testing of orbiters Enterprise, Columbia and Challenger. Atlantis weighs at about 151,315 pounds, nearly 3.5 tons lighter than Columbia. On October 3, 1985, Atlantis launched its first space flight, STS-51-J, with a classified payload for the U.S. Deprtment of Defense. Atlantis went on to carry four more DOD payloads on its later mission. The mission is commanded by Navy Capt. Brent Jett, a veteran of three previous spaceflights. Navy Capt. Chris Ferguson, a first-time flyer, joined Jett who will serve as the mission's pilot. Joe Tanner, crewmate of Jett's on the STS-97 mission, will be leading the two teams of spacewalkers in his fourth spaceflight. NASA has delayed the launch of space shuttle Atlantis that was supposedly scheduled on September 7, 2006 due to a fuel cell anomaly."

"The Douglas Skystreak (D-558-1) was designed in 1945 by the Douglas Aircraft Company for the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, in conjunction with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The Skystreak was a turbojet powered aircraft that took off from the ground under its own power and had straight wings and tails. The D-558-1 reached Mach 0.99 in level flight, but only flew supersonic in a dive. In the public mind, much of the research performed by the D-558-1 was quickly overshadowed by Chuck Yeager and the supersonic X-1 rocket plane. However, the Skystreak played an important role in aeronautical research by flying for extended periods of time at transonic speeds, which freed the X-1 to fly for limited periods at supersonic speeds. "

"The Boeing 747, also known as ""Jumbo Jet"", is a commercial airliner made by Boeing and is considered to be a wide body aircraft. The B747 is known for its impressive size and it is one of the world's most recognizable aircraft. In 1970, the B747 had its first flight and held the passenger capacity record for 35 years. American first lady Pat Nixon was the first one who used the B747 at the Washington Dulles International Airport. Red, white and blue water was sprayed on the aircraft instead of breaking a bottle of champagne. The first commercial flight of B747 took place on January 22, 1970 which was headed to New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport and London Heathrow Airport. The Boeing 747 was designed in such a way that it could easily adapt to carrying of shipments so when sales of passenger version dried up, the plane could remain production as a cargo transport. The cockpit of B747 was placed on a shortened upper deck thus this created a unique bulge for the B747. The B747 was expected to become obsolete after sales of 400 units but it passed the critic’s expectation and the production passed the 1000 mark in 1993. As the year 2006 ended 1380 planes were built. The latest one was the B747-8. Throughout its history, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA has used several different types of aircraft on a permanent, semi-permanent, or short-term basis. The agency has three 747s: a 747-100, a 747-100SR, and a 747SP. The 747-100 and 747-100SR are currently used as Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) while the 747SP is in use as Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The SCAs are used to ferry space shuttles from landing sites back to the launch complex at the NASA Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, and to and from other locations too distant for the orbiters to be delivered by ground transport. The 747-100 was was acquired from American Airlines in 1974 and was extensively modified in 1976. Its cabin was stripped, mounting struts were added, the fuselage was strengthened, and vertical stabilizers were added to the tail. The avionics and engines were also upgraded. In 1988, in the wake of the Challenger accident, NASA procured the 747-100SR from Japan Airlines on recommendation from the review board. It entered service with NASA in 1990 after similar modifications. It was the first used to ferry the new shuttle Endeavour in 1991. "

"The Apollo is a human spaceflight program by NASA and its primary goal is to conduct manned moon landing missions. In 1960, the Apollo program was originally conceived during the Eisenhower Administratation, as a follow-up to America's Mercury program. The Apollo spacecraft was designed as part of the Apollo Program, by the United States in the early 1960s. Apollo is made up of multiple units or stages that worked together to perform the mission of landing on the moon and returning to earth safely. The main components of the spacecraft were the launch escape system, the Command Module, the Service Module, the Lunar Module and the lunar module adapter. The Command Module was the control center for the Apollo spacecraft and living quarters for the crew. The Service Module is a portion of the spacecraft that was unpressurized and contained fuel cells, batteries, high gain antenna, radiators, water, oxygen, hydrogen, reaction control system and propellant to enter and leave lunar orbit. The Lunar Module is the portion of the Apollo spacecraft that landed on the moon and returned to lunar orbit and is divided into two major parts, the Descent Module and the Ascent Module."

"The SR-71 was designed by a team of Lockheed personnel known as the ""Skunk Works."" In the late 1950s, the SR-71's basic design originated in secrecy, with the aircraft's designation as A-11. Its existence was publicly announced on February 29, 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson, the time when he announced that an A-11 had flown at sustained speeds of over 2,000 miles per hour during tests at Edwards AFB, California. Its A-11 design development as a strategic reconnaissance aircraft began on February 1963. The first SR-71A arrives at Kadena AB to replace. The SR-71A's maiden flight (in ""Big Tail"" configuration) was on December 3, 1975. There were two SR-71s at Dryden with the assigned NASA tail numbers, NASA 844 (A model) with military serial 64-17980, NASA 831 (B model) with military serial 64-17956, which was manufactured in September 1965. There was another A model, the NASA 832 with military serial 64-17971 and was manufactured in October 1966. The A model was returned to the USAF inventory and was the first aircraft reactivated in 1995 for reconnaissance purposes. The SR-71A has a crew capacity of two. It has a maximum speed of Mach 3.2+ and a combat range of 2,900 nmi. There were 32 SR-71s built, with 29 as SR-71As for operational missions. SR-71 remained the world's fastest and highest-flying production aircraft throughout its operational existence. "

"This Collection features the seven of the aircraft and helicopters used to support the President of the United States. This Collection features the seven of the aircraft and helicopters used to support the President of the United States. The collection includes (from left to right): Marine One VH-34, Marine One VH3, VC-121 Columbine III, VC-25A, SAM 26000, Marine One VH60, and Marine One VH-71. This each miniature model of the Presidential aircrafts and helicopters is an authentic replica made from the finest grade of select kiln dried mahogany wood. The model is hand-carved; from the aircraft fuselage, to the sanding of the airplane’s contours. Every part is assembled precisely into place. Each model passes through various stages; from priming and sanding before it is hand-painted to duplicate the actual colors of the original historical aircraft. Every detail of the actual airplane is also copied -- from insignias to squadron badges, nose-art, emblems and serial numbers. Finally, multiple coats of clear lacquer are applied to protect the artwork and provide an overall glossy finish. Mounted on a beautiful mahogany base all seven aircraft and helicopters are precisely hand finished to exact detail. Complete with the Presidential logo and brass plaques indicating the aircraft type. Now you can have the Presidential Collection right before your very eyes at the most reasonable price. "

"The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, also called as the ""Thud"", was the first single-seat supersonic, all-weather strike fighter-bomber used by the U.S. Air Force. First flown on October 2, 1955, the Thunderchief entered service in 1958. Aside from being the largest, single-engine tactical aircraft in history, the F-105 was notable for its large internal bomb bay and unique swept-forward engine inlets in the wing roots. The wing was highly swept and incorporated low-speed ailerons and high-speed spoilers for lateral control, and a droop-snoot leading edge. Originally designed to deliver nuclear weapons at supersonic speeds, the F-105 Thunderchief, like the B-52, was pressed into service delivering iron bombs to North Vietnam. In this role the F-105 excelled and by the end of 1970 the F-105 had flown 75% of the bombing missions to North Vietnam. With over 20,000 Thunderchief sorties were flown, with 382 aircraft lost (nearly half of the 833 produced) including 62 operational casualties. Although it lacked the agility of smaller MiG fighters, USAF F-105s demonstrated the effectiveness of guns, and were credited with downing 27.5 enemy aircraft. The F-105D variant was the definitive production model of the Thunderchief series. The D-model was an all-weather strike fighter bomber, fitted with monopulse and Doppler radar for night or bad weather operations. This radar was capable of terrain avoidance commands. The original weapons bay, designed for nuclear stores, was sealed and fitted with additional fuel tanks. Bombs were carried on multiple weapons racks on the centerline of the fuselage, and on wing pylons. The aircraft was fitted with a retractable in-flight refueling probe. During the Vietnam War, F-105 units operated from bases in Thailand. First flew on June 9 1959, the F-105D entered service with 335th TFS in 1960. The last F-105D was withdrawn from USAF service on July 12, 1980. A total of 610 D Model of the Thunderchief were built. "

"The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a joint, multinational acquisition program for the United States Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and eight cooperative international partners. It was created to replace various aircraft while keeping development, production and operating costs down. The objective is to develop a technically superior and affordable fleet of aircraft that would be capable of a wide range of missions in a variety of theaters. The program began in November 1996 with a 5-year competition between Lockheed Martin and Boeing to determine the most capable and affordable preliminary aircraft design. On October 26, 2001, the contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin, whose X-35 experimental aircraft outperformed Boeing's X-32. The JSF aircraft design has three variants: conventional takeoff and landing (F-35A), short takeoff and vertical landing (F-35B), and carrier-based (F-35C). The program's hallmark of affordability is achieved through a high degree of commonality among the variants; 80 percent of the parts are shared. The F-35C naval variant will have a larger, folding wing and larger control surfaces for improved low-speed control, and stronger landing gear for the stresses of carrier landings. The larger wing area provides increased range and payload, with twice the range on internal fuel compared with the F/A-18C Hornet, achieving the same goal as the heavier F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The US Navy intends to buy 480 F-35Cs to replace the Hornets. It will also serve as a stealthier complement to the Super Hornet. The F35C is expected to be available beginning in 2012. "