English: 1945 news story detailing various first flights in aviation history. Note: newsreel narration contains factual errors; for example: the "first aeroplane flight in all Europe" was earlier than 1909-09-13.

Newsreel clip from the Motion Picture Division of the U.S. National Archives

Contents:

0 to 20 seconds: Probably Wilbur Wright in France, late 1908 or 1909, demonstrating the Wright Flyer. No motion picture exists of flights made by the Wright brothers on 17 December 1903 at Kitty Hawk.

21 to 32 seconds: Alberto Santos-Dumont wearing one of his trademark Panama hats; his monoplane Demoiselle on the ground, then in flight and landing; two biplanes in flight: possibly a Farman-Voisin (upper) and a Wright Flyer (lower); a Wright Flyer prepared for a demonstration flight with a passenger in Europe (France or Italy, 1908-1909), apparently Wilbur Wright seen at center and Orville Wright to the right.

32 to 34 seconds: van with "UNITED STATES" sign

34 to 51 seconds: monoplane takeoff, biplane in flight, plane numbered 38 unloading; "the first United States airmail service was begun on 15 May 1918, between New York City and Washington D.C."

52 to 81 seconds: taxi-ing on water, three-engined Curtiss NC biplanes numbered 1, 3 and 4; one in flight; 16 May 1919; "It was only 26 years ago, within the easy recollections of men living today, that the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean was accomplished. Four United States Navy flying boats left Newfoundland on May 16, 1919. Only one of these reached England, 15 days later."