HISTORICAL CONTEXT MATTERS
To appreciate the historical context of our products, we prepared this little timeline. Immerse yourself in the past and discover the significance of the aircraft we recreate!
The first documented, heavier-than-air and powered flight took place on 17th of December 1903. Wilbur and Orville Wright flew their "Kitty Hawk" airplane at Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina.
Louis Blériot's aircraft model XI took to the skies the first time in Paris, on the 23rd of January 1909.
To recover his tremendous financial losses incurred while developing his aeroplanes, Louis Blériot dared a flight across the English Channel (French: "La Manche") to win a 1000 £ price from the British newspaper "Daily Mail".
You can re-create this experience with the Wing42 Blériot XI add-on for MSFS.
On the 23rd of September 1910, Peruvian born, French national Jorge Antonio Chávez Dartnell took of with his Blériot XI, from Ried-Brig in Switzerland. With his flight on that day, he became the first to cross the Alps, however the crash-landing at Domodossola in Italy resulted in his death.
The First World War ravaged Europe from 1914 to 1918. Throughout this time, many advancements were made in developing technologies to kill soldiers and bystanders. The wide use of aircraft at many theaters of war was introduced in this time. Even the Blériot XI was used by the military of multiple nations.
The prohibition on the manufacturing, transport and consumption of alcohol began in the United States in January 1920. Besides the fact that it resulted in an increase of organized crime, smuggling and illegal bars, the rate of alcoholism also went up.
The first Lockheed Vega, named "Golden Eagle", flew from Lockheed's plant in California for the first time on the 4th of July in 1927. With a cruise speed of around 120 mph, she was extremely fast for her time.
We are working on the creation of the Lockheed Vega for Flight Simulator for some time now. Find out more here!
The Sikorsky S-38 marks the first true commercial success of aircraft designer Igor Sikorsky. The amphibious "Air Yacht" became a choice aircraft for explorers, filmmakers and pioneers.
The Wall Street Crash from 1929 was the beginning of the "Great Depression", during which many people lost their jobs, businesses had to close and inflation took hold in many places around the world. A number of aviation companies foreclosed, both manufacturers and airlines.
On the 1st of July 1931, an exhausted pilot Wiley Post landed with his equally exhausted navigator Harold Gatty in his Lockheed Vega 5C at Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York. With this landing, they had completed the incredible feat of circumnavigating the world in just eight days. Time for a ticker-parade!
On the 21st of May 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman pilot to solo across the Atlantic ocean in her Lockheed Vega 5B.
Often cited as the first "modern airliner", the Boeing 247 took her first flight in 1933. You will soon be able to get the full experience of this aircraft when we release our Wing42 Boeing 247 add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator!
The world plummeted into chaos again in 1939, when the German Wehrmacht invaded Poland. In the ensuing war, millions of lives were lost, cities devastated. Technology made a big jump though, so... yay humanity?!
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Because we have so much to say about our products, we prepared some additional information you can access through our product information pages listed below.