Model | airplane:German 1917 Fokker DR-1 Triplane

For folks living at the turn of the 20th century, the Wright Brothers' inventions in aviation must have seemed like the stuff of science fiction. Since ancient times, humans had tried to launch manmade flying machines, but very few had been successful. The birth of the airplane and the development of bigger, faster aircraft as the 1900s progressed, lured many individuals into the wild blue yonder. Young boys no less than adult men (and women) yearned to climb to the heavens, speed across the country, and survey the lands below. Little wonder that it was not long after Wilbur and Orville Wright perfected their air machines that airplanes became popular items in the toy store. Most aircraft made for commercial and military aviation have been reproduced as models to assemble, and the putting together of these models have occupied the leisure time of both kids and adults.