OK James – I´m going to make a list that is a little different than those seen so far – as it purely concentrates on civilian or groundbreaking machines. I´ll first of all go with the local Icelandic content.
Douglas C-47A TF-NPK / exTF-ISH name Gljáfaxi / ex-43-30710. This aircraft came to Iceland brand new during the war and was used by the base flight at Keflavik AFB. After the war, it was sold to Air Iceland as TF-ISH Gljáfaxi and became the first modern passenger aircraft this country had ever had. It continued to fly passengers until 1973 when it was converted to a crop duster and flew in that role until 2008 IIRC. Very, very historically significant aircraft for Iceland.
TF-OGN the first (of only two) aircraft to be completely designed, built and flown in Iceland. It is now part of the Icelandic Historical Aviation Society´s collection and has been fully restored – an estimated 85% of the original being used in the restoration.
The Cockpit section of ex-TF-FIE a 727-108 the first ever passenger jet in Icelandic service in registered in 1967. The cockpit is now at the Icelandic Aviation Museum at Akureyri
Stearman TF-KAU / ex 41-7997 This aircraft has some interesting pedigree. Along with US P-40´s of the 33rd Fighter Squadron, she was flown off the USS Wasp off Reykjavik when the Americans took over the occupation of Iceland from the British. Through out the war she was used by the american forces and sold to Icelanders after the war and used for flight instruction and as a private aircraft until crashed in 1953 It has now been beautifully restored and is flying
Waco YKS – 6 being restored to flying condition by the Icelandic Historical Aviation Society to look like a YKS – 7 TF- ORN the first aircraft of Flugfelag Islands #3 and the start of continuous airline operations in Iceland. The original TF-ORN started flying in 1938 but was destroyed in a crash in 1942 IIRC
For the international content it proved a bit harder, but here goes.
Wright Flyer 1 – the original at the Smithsonian. Does not really need any explanation as this is the start of controlled, powered flight
Vickers Vimy of Alcock and Brown at the Science Museum in London. This is an aircraft that shows the extreme development taking place over 16 short years – from the hop at Kitty Hawk in 1903 until the first crossing of the Atlantic in 1919. It also goes to show how conflict can influence development of new gadgets – if it had not been for the first world war, the development of aircraft would have been very significantly slower, the Vimy never built, and the Atlantic not crossed for decades.
Douglas DC -2 Uiver at Lelystad. One of very few DC -2 remaining, I chose this example because it would be easiest to get to. The DC – 2 is the first modern commercial aircraft – an aircraft that set the standards, indirectly, for what we are flying even today. The DC – 2 is also very important historically for it´s role in the 1934 MacRobertson London to Melbourne Air Race, where a commercial DC – 2, with a load of passengers, came second to a purpose built racer – the Comet. I think that pretty much signals the way forward for commercial aviation.
Not having a Heinkel He 178 available, I´ll have to go for the Gloster E28/39 at the Science Museum in London. The He 178 and E28/39 were at the cutting edge of technology, and introduced the world to a new form of propulsion that is still with us today and is the foundations of modern day air travel and the air industry as we see it today. Again, like with the Wright Flyer, it would take a world war and millions of lives to develop this technology to usable standards for commercial needs.
Boeing B747 Prototype at Museum of Flight, Seattle. The 747 is an example of a bold vision being put into development and production even if it might take the company out of business – a process not seen too often these days. Despite it´s early problems and disappointments for the Boeing Company, it is still in production today, over 40 years later in it´s newest form the 747 – 8. Over those 40 years, I think the 747 has been the biggest single factor in making long distance travel affordable to the masses – so definitively on of the greats of history.
These are only the Civil aircraft. I could do another 5 on international stuff focusing purely on the military stuff :p:p
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