Century of Flight

Later this summer Microsoft will be releasing a new title in the popular Flight Simulator series. Titled Century of Flight, it commemorates the centennial of the Wright brothers' historic flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Never being ones to shirk the communities beyond the world of gaming, Microsoft has also partnered with the Experimental Aircraft Association's festival later this December.

The new game not only gives you the chance to fly the Wright Flyer, but also gives you the opportunity to try out lots of other vintage planes as well. Loads of historical information on each of the planes will be included in the game but we thought we'd go ahead and give you a sneak peek at what you can expect.

Today we're looking at three of the classic planes on a list that includes everything from Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis Ryan NYP to the deHavilland Comet. (The new title will also include 15 modern planes as well.) So jump on in and take a look at Vimy, Jenny, and a little plane that could.

Vicker's F.B.27A Vimy The British built the Vicker's F.B.27A Vimy with the intention of leading British air squadrons to victory in valiant bombing raids over WWI Europe. However, timing as it was, the Vimy was released too late to see combat. Had it not been for two daring pilots vying for the top prize in a London flight contest, the Vimy may have been completely forgotten.

In the summer of 1919, John Alcock and Arthur Whitten-Brown chose the Vickers Vimy to pilot across the ocean, completing the first nonstop transatlantic flight in aviation history. Over the course of 16 hours, the two adventurers navigated the turbulent skies using readings from unreliable navigational controls while exposed to unpredictable weather conditions due to the Vimy's open cockpit design. Other daring pilots would follow Alcock and Whitten-Brown's lead, trusting the 12 horsepower, wood and fabric Vicker's Vimy to carry them across vast stretches of sky that had long been considered unreachable territory.

Curtiss JN-4D "Jenny"

The American public's first encounter with accessible flight was in the form of a small, somewhat unreliable, two-seat biplane nicknamed, "Jenny." Mass-produced for the US Military during WWI, the Curtiss JN-4D "Jenny" was the favorite training vehicle for fresh-faced military aviators on their way to combat missions around the world. Over 90% of war WWI era pilots were trained onboard the "Jenny," but the war was only a preview of her future popularity.

At the war's end, the United States faced an enormous surplus of the technologically average plane and began selling off its inventory at bargain prices. Across the nation, daredevil pilots began to use the "Jenny" to stage exciting air shows, thus ushering in the age of the "Barnstorm." For the first time, average citizens were able to experience the thrill of flight in their own backyards, watching the possibilities of flight play out in loops and spins across the limitless horizon.

Ryan NYP "Spirit of St. Louis" The name of the plane is as recognizable as its famous pilot. In 1927, Charles Lindbergh took to the skies in his specially designed Ryan NYP "Spirit of St. Louis," embarking on an adventure that would make him a permanent fixture in aviation history. After 33 ½ hours of non-stop flight, Lindbergh became the first solo aviator to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

By all accounts, the flight was a tedious one made difficult by his custom-built aircraft. The "Spirit of St. Louis" was cramped, its two fuel tanks blocked any forward view, and its controls were still relatively primitive. At the pilot's request, steering functions were uncooperative and slow to respond, forcing Lindbergh to stay awake and alert in order to avoid catastrophe. And yet, after completing his record-making New York to Paris voyage, Lindbergh continued to showcase the "Spirit of St. Louis" in his travels across North and South America, revealing the possibility of safe and dependable air travel to the world.

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