x planes

“The de la Hault Orthopter displayed at the 1909 Olympia Aero Show” (via)

“Alexander Graham Bell (right) and his assistants observing the progress of one of his tetrahedral kites” (via)

the airship “Le Girardot”, proposed by Léonce Girardot, circa 1900

via L’Aerophile, v10

“Stereograph of man with device designed for flying” (via the Library of Congress and Thiophene_Guy’s Flickr

sunday fantasy #393: from Aircraft, June 1910

the Maurice Léger helicopter, 1907 (via)

Reuben B. Eubank, Jr and Judson C. Eubank, inventors (via)

“Helen Ditriye, “the girl-hawk” in 1909” (via)

sunday fantasy #379: “In Futuro”, by F. W. Read, from an unknown issue of Life Magazine, 1901 (via Paul Malon’s flickr)

“Salon Aéronautique : moteur REP, 10 cylindres, 35 HP : [photographie de presse] / Agence Meurisse” (via)

“Farman, Ghent, May 30, 08 [sends a sounding-balloon to appreciate the wind] : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]” (via)

”..A few minutes later, while still in the valley of the Tiber, we entered a bank of clouds and saw a marvelous sight. Clouds had formed rapidly in a vast basin like the crater of a huge volcano, and through a rift in them we saw, 1900 feet below us, a curve of the river, like a broad silver band, reflecting the moon, which shone with extraordinary refulgence..

..Presently to our wonder and delight, there appeared on the white wall of vapor opposite and a little lower than our car, a perfect reflection of the balloon, rigging, car, and occupants, as clearly defined as in a magic lantern. All around the great shadow balloon was a radiant lunar rainbow. Straight below it was another bright little circular rainbow..

..For a few seconds the shadow picture seemed immovable; then the scene dissolved as swiftly as it came, and we were borne away on the freshened current of the southwest wind..”

From “Ballooning by Moonlight - Narrative Of A Woman’s Trip Over The Apennines”
by Countess Grace Di Campello Della Spina
The Century Magazine, May 1907

the “Aerostatic and Heavier-than-air Aeronautical machine”, 1909 (patent)
(via theaerodrome)

“Clement’s model for flying machine” (Library of Congress)