Outside of France Britain and America, there were a number of notable early pioneers in Europe and further afield. Many of these pioneers worked in isolation, away from the centres of aviation activity, adapting ideas they learnt from published material.

It is well recognised that the First World War stimulated rapid aeroplane development. Prior to the war, it was publishers, writers and sponsors who stimulated the aspirations of aviation pioneers to achieve success beyond most people's expectations.

To see a short description of each pioneer, please 'left click' on the images below

Hans Grade (Germany)

August Euler (Germany)

Igo Etrich (Austria)

Mario Calderara (Italy)

Harry Ferguson (Ireland)

Igor Sikorsky (Russia)

John Duigan (Australia)

Gianni Caproni (Italy)

Hélène Dutrieu (Belgium)

Henri & Armand Dufaux (Switzerland)

Georges Chavez (Peru)

Lilian Bland (Ireland)

Henri Coandă (Romania)

Tony Fokker (Holland)

Melli Beese (Germany)

Billy Hart (Australia)

Alfred Harmsworth, Lord Northcliffe (England)

Alfred Lawson (America)

James Gordon Bennett Jr (America)

Gertrude Bacon (England)

Jacques Schneider (France)