WW1 aircraft & brand licensing?

[xbattlestation]

I've been writing a WW1 aviation computer game, and this has involved drawing lots of profiles of many different aircraft. Not only WW1, but also WW2, cold war and modern day etc.

It has been brought to my attention that I may not be able to include 'real world' aircraft in my game, because of brand licensing. If it was a game about cars, then I couldn't include real-world cars due to highly litigious car companies protecting their brand name. The same also applies (perhaps to a lesser extent) to aircraft - the recent DCS Huey sim had problems in this area. I would imagine this doesn't just apply to games, but also profile artists too, anyone making money from the image of aircraft.

Now, perhaps this doesn't really apply to WW1 aircraft, the companies (I believe) have all long since disappeared / been swallowed up, but does anyone still own rights? Do any of you artists have experience in this area?

[xbattlestation]

Well I guess this isn't an issue that crops up around WW1 aircraft then

[Maxim08]

xbattlestation

As far as replica, flying aircraft go I have never heard of anyone being litigated for using a model name to describe their aircraft. ie the creators of the Midget Mustang were, to the best of my knowledge, never pursued by either North American Aviation or Ford Motor Company.

Regards
John