What if Hiram Maxim had won patent to the lightbulb in the United States, and instead of developing the Maxim gun had spent the rest of the 1880s working almost entirely on flying machines, completing a working design by the end of the decade. Due to already having great clout, his invention is recognized earlier than the Wright Brothers so it becomes known right away. How much of an influence does this have on early flight and warfare for the next few years? Would the early aircraft prevent the development of the airship, or would the airship prematurely kill the flying machine in this timeline?