![](db/pages/2017/05/03/001/zimg_003_3.jpg)
Pilot George Aird ejects from a test flight of the English Electronic Lightning F-1.: Though pop culture does its best to show us what the past was like (Mad Men, anyone?), there’s nothing like looking at old photographs to get a feel for the history of mankind. After all, a picture says a thousand words! That’s why these rare historical photos are so valuable. They may not represent every single major event in history, but they certainly take us back in time—not to mention, they’re really cool to look at!