The Wright Brothers first took their flyer soaring in 1903 --- and less than a century later, rockets flew us to the moon. Experience the evolution of aviation, from the earliest pioneers to the complex technology of military jets and beyond, as inventors and aviators with skill and imagination push the limits of possibility. A rich selection of photos includes images of groundbreaking designs, patents, and logbooks from record-breaking flights.
Beginning in 1939-40 with the German blitzkrieg and the Battle of Britain, aircraft repeatedly turned the tide of war. Their worth was proved in many roles besides bombing and airborne assault, including air defense, support of ground operations, maritime patrol, shipping strikes, transport support and reconnaissance. Warplanes became indispensable and revolutionized the character of war.
In Aviation Century World War II, stunning images of preserved and restored wartime aircraft are combined with archival photographs of the world's first well-photographed war to tell an unprecedented visual story of World War II. The unforgettable images are accompanied by insightful text that explains the strategic role of warplanes and describes the types and models of aircraft used by each nation, and re-tells the dramatic stories of the war.
Forewords for Aviation Century World War II are written by World War II veteran pilots Ramsay Potts and Don Lopez.
War and Peace in the Air, the final book in the acclaimed five-volume Aviation Century series, explores the influence of aviation in the major wars and minor conflicts since World War II. The authors also examine the dangers of flight, including airborne disasters, accident investigations and threats from terrorism, and speculate on the myriad ways in which aviation will change in the near and far future. Included are:
- The introduction of the jet engine and the changes it brought in training, logistics and administration
- Improvements in weaponry, avionics and aircraft systems in the transformation of basic bombers and fighters
- The history of flight safety, from the first air fatality in 1908 to the disaster-prevention tactics introduced to defeat modern terrorist threats
- Profiles of 21st century aircraft, plus the future in aviation -- including collision avoidance systems, computer-driven air-traffic control, and the return of supersonic travel.
Rare archival photographs and newly photographed color images add to the entertaining and informative text. All the current photographs have been shot on site or in museums, collections or the field.
A nostalgic look at the golden age of personal flight, when the incredible aircraft of the 1920s, '30s, and '40s were pushing every known limit, and doing it with flair. The impeccable style and ever-increasing performance of stunning open-cockpit and cabin-class monoplanes and biplanes such as the Curtiss Jenny, Beech Staggerwing, Stinson Reliant, Luscombe Phantom, and Spartan Executive are all captured here. A detailed text traces the evolution of the airplanes and society. An exceptional collection of the most beautiful aircraft of the era-a feast of pure nostalgia!
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