Thanks for the answer, Matz. I was in Germany for four years and loved it there. I would have stayed if I spoke any European language. Walking around in any Germany city or town was wonderful. A bakery, a chocolate shop (where they make the chocolates in the shop), a real art store, very nice department stores. wonderful art everywhere I went, beautiful buildings, etc. I loved the attitude of the Germans. Many Americans I worked and lived with kept saying "Germans are rude." No they aren't. They're honest. You're just not used to it. If your fly is down a German will tell you whereas an American will be "polite" and let you keep walking around like that while they pretend not to see it.

Of course I went into every hobby shop I saw. There are a lot of very nice European kits that you would never know existed if you live in the USA.

As far as first to fly, I have no horse in that race and don't care enough to do the research so I'll take whatever answer I'm given.