> Remember those old stereotypical silent-movie era compilations of crashing airplanes, plummeting gliders and bizzarre unworkable flying machines? They're often seen on documentaries about the history of flight.
>
> Anyone know where I could find something like that?

Forgotten Silver has faked "first flight" footage that looks like the real thing.

Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines

I've wondered this myself. Sorry, the best I can do is a flashback scene from "Airplane!"

I don't have the information in front of me so it's from memory, but I believe that "all those compilations" are actually just one from the early 30s. Someone put together a short with footage from various newsreels from the past 30 years (maybe for the 30th anniversary of flight???) of all of these weird planes attempting to fly. Most if not all of the original footage doesn't exist any more and the short is the only source for it.

Other than that I don't really have anything to add that's an exact match, but here goes:

Hell's Angels - early flying footage but no weird-o planes

The Great Waldo Pepper - not sure of the exact era but subject is barnstorming show flying - probably not later than the early 30s

Brewster McCloud - certainly a strange flying machine (by the way: WARNER'S WHERE IS THE DVD ON THIS TITLE?!?!?!?!?!?!)