History
Main article: Aviation history See also: Timeline of aviationFlying model craft and stories of manned flight go back many centuries, however the first manned ascent - and safe descent - in modern times took place by hot-air balloon in the 18th century. Each of the two World Wars led to great technical advances. Consequently the history of aircraft can be divided into five eras:
- Pioneers of flight, from the earliest experiments to 1913.
- First World War, 1914 to 1918.
- Inter-war, sometimes called the Golden Age, 1919 to 1938.
- Second World War, 1939 to 1945.
- Postwar era, also called the jet age, 1946 to the present day.
Read more about this topic: Aircraft
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