Copyright 2000 by Richard Harris
All Rights Reserved
(This series summarized in AAHS Flightline, Vol.25 #9,
August 20, 2025, for the American Aviation Historical Society).

In the 20th Century, eight aircraft changed the world -- each with a pivotal role, in its time and place, which no other aircraft was ready to fill. While many other aircraft happened to earn fame and respect, these eight aircraft (eight airplanes, one helicopter and one rocket-glider) were effectively indispensible to 20th Century history, and simply ruled in their respective classes, in their heyday. Other aircraft affected world history. These aircraft have decided it:

1. The Douglas DC-3 (the "Aircraft of the Century") followed by... 2. The Bleriot Model XI 3. The Airco/deHavilland DH-4 4. The Piper Cub, & Cub family,     5. The deHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth, & the Moth family. 6. The Supermarine Spitfire & its immediate predecessors -- the Supermarine seaplane racers. 7. The Sikorsky R-4 Helicopter. 8. The Space Shuttle.