At the beginning of World War I airplanes were still in their infancy, but by the time the war was over they had become more durable and reliable, and more forgiving of error and inexperience. By then they could carry heavier loads and travel greater distances at higher speeds than at any time before. This led to a greater number of pilots and ground crews and helped some of them set new speed and distance records. Such people, both servicemen and civilians, began to be treated as champions rather than "birdbrains."

In 1919, Capt. E.F.

As the year comes to an end, we mark 100 years of flight in the U.S. military.

In 1909, the Army purchased the nation's first airplane from the Wright brothers. This came about after years of negotiations and despite doubts whether the machine might serve any military purpose at all. Negotiations started Jan. 18, 1905, when the Wright brothers formally offered their invention to the Army stating that an airplane was a must in the military. Having had bad experience with such offers, the Army was unconvinced then.

The C-119 Flying Boxcar was a significant asset to the U.S. Air Force operations around the world beginning in the early 1950s. The planes, manufactured by Fairchild Aircraft, totaled 1,183 built, two of which are still airworthy in Alaska.

The C-119 was initially a redesign of the C-82 Packet built between 1945 and 1948. The C-82 had performance limitations which were corrected in the C-119. More powerful engines were added, the cockpit was moved to enable the aircraft to carry more cargo, the fuselage was widened and the airframe was strengthened.