Technology Takes A Step Forward

 Standing side by side are two impressive German veteran planes of the First World War. This one has been restored as much as is possible, and was the first all-metal plane put into production. It is the Junkers J.I. 

Beside it, and even more menacing, is the A.E.G. G.IV, the only surviving aircraft of its kind in the world.

I moved over into an area concentrating on bush planes. This is a model of the Vickers Vancouver, a Canadian float plane dating to 1930, and used for fire protection.

Here we have a replica of the original, a Curtis HS-2L, originally a type of plane produced by the Americans for combat in World War One, but used post-war by Canadians in civilian life to access the inaccessible areas of the country.

I said it was a replica. Its original, a plane called La Vigilance, crashed into a lake in 1922. This portion of the hull is the largest piece recovered.

Canadian Stuart Graham is thought to be the world's first commercial bush pilot.

Here we have the Bellanca Pacemaker. There weren't a lot of them made, but they bear a strong resemblance to the contemporary float plane.