History Of Flight Collection

Robertsons Minerve balloon, 1804
Robertsons Minerve balloon. Historical artwork of La Minerve, an extravagant balloon design proposed in 1804 by the French engineer E. G. Robertson

Royal Vauxhall pre-flight consultation. Historical artwork depicting a meeting held prior to the flight of the Royal Vauxhall in 1836

Early Hot Air Balloon in Flight, 1828 (watercolor)
3036357 Early Hot Air Balloon in Flight, 1828 (watercolor) by Italian School, (19th century); (add.info.: Balloonist Francesco Orlandi on an early hot air balloon flight; watercolor, 1828)

The Balloon Le Tricolore Ascending in 1874, 1874 (colour litho)
2630209 The Balloon Le Tricolore Ascending in 1874, 1874 (colour litho) by Duruof, Jules (1841-98); Private Collection; (add.info)

Crashed German Zeppelin, 1918
Crashed German Zeppelin. Aerial view of the wrecked shell of a Zeppelin in an English field. The date is thought to be 8 August 1918, towards the end of the First World War

Engine of 1903 Wright Flyer C016 / 2530
Engine of Wright Flyer of 1903. Rear view of the 1903 motor of the Wright brothers (Orville and Wilbur) in their workshop on 1 January 1928, before its shipment to the Science Museum

Gusmaos Passarola airship, 1709
Gusmaos Passarola airship. Historical artwork of the Passarola airship design that was proposed in 1709 by the Portuguese priest and naturalist Bartolomeu de Gusmao (1685-1724)

Jacques Charles, French balloonist
Jacques Alexandre Cesar Charles (1746-1823), French chemist, physicist and aeronaut, historical artwork. A scientist and professor of physics

Flight by Henri Farman (1874-1958) from Chalons to Reims, 1908 (b / w photo)
XIR217814 Flight by Henri Farman (1874-1958) from Chalons to Reims, 1908 (b/w photo) by French Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Parachute exhibition poster, 1854 C014 / 0529
Parachute exhibition poster. 19th-century poster advertising an exhibition of a model of the parachute-glider apparatus used by French aeronaut Louis Charles Letur during his last and fatal flight

British BE2a fighter plane, World War I C014 / 2041
British BE2a fighter plane. The BE2 was a Bleriot Experimental biplane model produced by the Royal Aircraft Factory (later the Royal Aircraft Establishment)

Malaria control operations, 20th century
Malaria control operations. Stearman biplane spraying an insecticide as part of malaria control operations. Stearman biplanes, introduced in 1934

Albert Read, US transatlantic pilot
Albert Cushing Read (1887-1967), US military pilot who was commander as part of a crew of six on the first transatlantic flight in May 1919

Culver with early aeroplane radio, 1918. At left, US military engineer and pilot Colonel Clarence Curtis Culver (1872-1946) is showing an early aeroplane radio to Commander A. K

Farman aeroplane, 1909 C016 / 4517
Farman aeroplane in flight. The Farman planes were designed and built in France by the Farman brothers Henry and Maurice. Henry Farman bought one of the first commercially sold aeroplanes in 1907

Bijou airship design, 18th century C016 / 4488
Bijou airship design. 18th-century drawing and design (with French text) for an airship, proposed by a French inventor Stoupy Bijou. The proposal is titled Le veritable navigateur aerien

1903 Wright Flyer, museum display C016 / 2531
1903 Wright Flyer, museum display. The first powered flight was made by Orville Wright on 17 December 1903 near Kill Devil Hill, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, USA

First fatal air crash, 1908 C016 / 2529
First fatal air crash, 1908. Spectators and army personnel tending to the victim of the crash of the Wright Military Flyer (Wright Model A) at Fort Myer, Virginia, USA, on 17 September 1908

French and US aviation pioneers, 1910 C014 / 0135
French and US aviation pioneers. From left, they are French aviator Jacques Benjamin de Lesseps (1883-1927), US aviator Glenn Hammond Curtiss (1878-1930)

First parachute descent, 1797
First parachute descent, made by the French balloonist Andre Jacques Garnerin (1769-1823), in Mousseuax Park, Paris, France, on 22 October 1797

Farman aeroplane, 1909
Farman aeroplane in flight, being waved and cheered aloft by two spectators. The Farman planes were designed and built in France by the Farman brothers Henry and Maurice

Delagranges aeroplane. This early biplane model is being flown by the French aviator Leon Delagrange (1872-1910). Delagrange first flew in 1907

Early balloon accident, 1784
Early balloon accident. Fishermen rescuing the French balloonist Jules Durouf (1841-1898) and his wife Caroline Durouf (1845-1933) from their balloon Le Tricolore

Zenith balloon ascent, 1875
Zenith balloon ascent. Coloured historical artwork of the 1875 Zenith flight. Journalist Joseph Eustache Croce-Spinelli (1845-1875), naval officer Henri Theodore Sivel (1834-1875)

First overnight balloon flight, 1836
First overnight balloon flight. Historical artwork of the first overnight balloon flight, which used coal gas and took place from 7-8 November 1836

Early balloon flight, 1802
Early balloon flight. Spectators watching French balloonist Jeanne-Genevieve Garnerin (born 1779) ascending in a balloon on 28 March 1802

Sorcery and flight. This nineteenth century artwork is showing the history of sorcery and flight in medieval times. There were stories of magical flights by witches, wizards, and the like

Garnerins parachute design, 1797
Garnerins parachute design. This is the design for the first parachute of the French balloonist Andre Jacques Garnerin (1769-1823), and includes a scale

Berliner helicopter, 1922
Berliner helicopter. This helicopter was invented by the German Emile Berliner (1851-1929), possibly as early as 1909. By 1922, he and his son Henry Berliner (1895-1970, born in the USA)

Early hot air balloon design, 1783
Early hot air balloon design. Design for a balloon with two men in the basket steering it by manipulation of a sail. A ladder connects the balloon to a parachute-style apparatus for safe descent in

Cayleys aerial carriage, 1843
Cayleys aerial carriage. Design for an aerial carriage, published in 1843 by the British engineer George Cayley (1773-1857)

English Channel balloon crossing, 1785
English Channel balloon crossing. French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard (1753-1809) and US surgeon John Jefferies (1745-1819) arriving in Calais, France

Lana Terzis airship, 17th century
Lana Terzis airship. Historical artwork of the airship design proposed by the Italian priest and mathematics and physics professor Francesco Lana Terzi (1631-1687)

Roland Garros, French aviator
Roland Garros (1888-1918), French aviator, standing in an aircraft. Garros began flying in 1909, and in 1913 he achieved fame when he made the first non-stop flight across the Mediterranean Sea

Charles Green, British balloonist
Charles Green (1785-1870), British balloonist. Green first ascended in a balloon on 19 July 1821. Between 1821 and 1852, he made 526 ascents

Wright brothers, US aviation pioneers. Wilbur (1867-1912, right) and Orville (1871-1948, left) built and flew the first powered aircraft

Charles Renard, French engineer
Charles Renard (1847-1905), French military engineer and aviation pioneer. Renard began his work on aircraft after the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)

Vicenzo Lunardi, Italian aeronaut
Vicenzo Lunardi (1759-1806), Italian aeronaut, historical artwork. Lunardi became the first person to fly in Britain when he took off in a hot air balloon from Londons Royal Artillery Ground at

Mikhail Gromov, Soviet transpolar pilot
Mikhail Mikhailovich Gromov (1899-1985), Soviet pilot, wearing aviation clothing for the July 1937 transpolar flight across the North Pole. Gromov was one of three pilots on this pioneering flight

Clement Ader, French engineer
Clement Ader (1841-1926), French engineer and aviation pioneer. Aders early career was spent inventing numerous electrical and mechanical devices

Sir George Cayley, British engineer
Sir George Cayley (1773-1857), British engineer, aviation pioneer, and 6th Baronet of Brompton (from 1792). Cayley spent most of his life on the study of flight, carrying out his own experiments

June Bug aeroplane, 1908. Also called Aerodrome number 3, the June Bug was a single-seat, single-engine biplane that was the third aircraft successfully designed

DH-4 aeroplane radio. This view of the aeroplane cockpit shows the installation of a radio set on a DH-4 (De Havilland 4) model

Giffards steam airship, 1852

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"The Evolution of Flight: From Balloons to Fighter Planes and Beyond" Robertsons Minerve balloon, 1804: The first manned ascent in a hot air balloon marks the beginning of human flight aspirations. Royal Vauxhall pre-flight consultation: Early pioneers gather to discuss the possibilities and challenges of conquering the skies. Early Hot Air Balloon in Flight, 1828 (watercolor): Artists capture the awe-inspiring sight of a hot air balloon soaring through the clouds for the first time. The Balloon Le Tricolore Ascending in 1874, 1874 (colour litho): A vibrant lithograph depicts a triumphant moment as another balloon takes flight, captivating spectators below. Crashed German Zeppelin, 1918: The devastating aftermath of an ill-fated zeppelin crash serves as a reminder of both progress and risks involved in aviation advancements during World War I. Gusmaos Passarola airship, 1709: An early prototype by Bartolomeu de Gusmão showcases his visionary design for an airship that would revolutionize transportation forever. Jacques Charles, French balloonist: Celebrating the achievements and contributions made by one of France's most renowned ballooning pioneers who pushed boundaries with his daring flights. Flight by Henri Farman (1874-1958) from Chalons to Reims, 1908 (b/w photo): A black-and-white photograph captures Henri Farman's groundbreaking journey across cities—a significant milestone towards long-distance aviation. Parachute exhibition poster, 1854 C014/0529 : Promoting safety measures and showcasing parachute technology developments that have saved countless lives throughout history British BE2a fighter plane, World War I C014 /2041 : A symbol of military innovation during WWI when aircraft began playing a crucial role in warfare, forever changing the face of combat.