The history of aviation is inseparable from the history of materials science. Each era brought a new generation of aircraft, not just because of better engines or aerodynamics, but because engineers found stronger, lighter, and more durable materials to build with. From the spruce frames of the Wright era to the carbon-fiber fuselages of the Boeing 787, every breakthrough in materials directly enabled new heights of speed, range, and altitude. Select any era below to explore the engineering behind the aircraft.