2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Pioneers of Aviation Review

My 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball card set is getting closer to completion each day. (See what I still need here.)

As I complete the different parts of the set (inserts, base set, etc.), I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the different cards. The Allen & Ginter set is interesting because the vast majority of the inserts (and a substantial portion of the base cards) feature non-baseball figures and objects. The Pioneers of Aviation insert set is one example of the "off beat" nature of the set.

The Pioneers of Aviation insert set contains 5 cards. The cards are an unlisted set, so the odds are unknown (rumor has it 1 or 2 per case, similar to the Deadliest Sharks set).

The set includes:
PA 1: Ornithopter (inspired by the designs of Leonardo da Vinci)
PA 2: Linen Balloon (designed by Jean F. Pilatre de Rozier and Marquis d'Arlandes)
PA 3: Piloted Glider (first built by George Cayley)
PA 4: Aerial Steam Carriage (patented by William S. Henderson)
PA 5: Aerodrome (created by Samuel P. Langley)

Despite the small set size, the Pioneers of Aviation set is quite interesting. The cards all mini sized, so the drawings aren't large - but they do show enough detail. For instance, the Ornithopter shows a guy who appears to be pedaling a bicycle-like contraption through the air! Apparently, you can build your own ornithopter, though it's not quite the same as da Vinci's design... There's also a site devoted to ornithopters that "operate comfortably at parking lot speeds of 0 - 15 mph." I don't know about you, but if I'm airborne, I want to be going faster than 0 mph...

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give the Pioneers of Aviation set a 90/100 for two main reasons. First, the first time I pulled one of the cards it was exciting because it was an unnamed insert set. Second, the set made me learn a little bit about something I knew nothing about...and now I know of two websites devoted to ornithopters!

Pros: Small set size. Interesting topic, never done before to the best of my knowledge.

Cons: Difficult to find. Official insertion odds unknown. Very little actual information about the subjects on the card.

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Are you interested in this set? I have some extras I'm willing to trade for other cards on my list. From the Pioneers of Aviation set, I have:
PA1: Ornithopter
PA4: Aerial Steam Carriage
PA5: Aerodome (3 copies!)

Source:
http://www.ornithopter.com/