FAMOUS AIRPLANES

(e.g., The first plane to fly nonstop from New York to Paris. Answer: Spirit of St. Louis.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. It made the first sustained flight by a manned aircraft on Dec. 17, 1903.

2. The only type of aircraft ever to have dropped nuclear weapons in combat.

3. It was the only British fighter in continuous production throughout the second world war.

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. The first supersonic passenger-carrying commercial airplane.

5. Flown by Chuck Yeager, it was the first piloted airplane to exceed the speed of sound in level flight.

6. This Japanese plane was the first carrier-based fighter capable of besting its land-based opponents.

PH.D. LEVEL

7. It is the world’s largest passenger airliner and the only full-length double-deck jet airliner.

8. This British Royal Air Force plane was the first operational VTOL jet.

Answers: 1. Wright Flyer. 2. Boeing B-29. 3. (Supermarine) Spitfire. 4. Concorde. 5. Bell X-1. 6. (A6M) Zero. 7. Airbus A380. 8. Harrier (jump jet).

North America Syndicate