Lift is one of the four primary forces. The other three are weight, thrust, and drag.
Weight is the force that offsets lift.
Drag is created when an object moves through a fluid, such as through air, produces friction as it interacts. The first supersonic flight was in 1947 by a Bell X-1 rocket plane flown by Chuck Yeager. Wings, before the 20th century, were made of wooden ribs and spar covered with fabric. Most of the early planes were biplanes. Either pistons or turbines enigines provide propulsion for airplanes.