Texas designated the Confederate Air Force as the official state air force in 1989 (the CAF was renamed the Commemorative Air Force in 2002). The Commemorative Air Force of Texas is a non-profit organization which preserves and displays WWII aircraft for charitable and educational purposes.

Since ancient times humans have tried to fly like birds - wings made of feathers and wood were tried with disastrous results. Leonardo da Vinci made the first real studies of flight in the 1480's, creating over 100 drawings that illustrated his theories on flying. The discovery of the kite about 400 BC in China actually began the invention of flight - kites were the forerunner to balloons and gliders.

The Montgolfier brothers were the inventors of the first hot air balloon in 1783. They used smoke from a fire to blow hot air into a silk bag. There followed a series of glider designers. The first powered flight was made in 1903 by Orville and Wilbur Wright.

Source:

Commemorative Air Force: Official Web Site
History of Flight: NASA

Links:

Kites: Kennesaw State University
Space Missions - Windows to the Universe: NASA
Models are the building blocks of Science: U TX at Austin
Cultural Symbols - 50 states