Means of Transport That Almost Changed the World

Ever wonder why we don’t commute in flying cars, ride single-rail trains, or steer life-size remote-control vehicles?

Means of Transport That Almost Changed the World takes you on a fascinating journey through history’s boldest and strangest transportation ideas that never quite made it. Packed with detailed illustrations and captivating stories, this book reveals the prototypes, dreams, and daring experiments that shaped innovation even when they failed.

Aimed at readers ages 12 and up, this beautifully illustrated book blends technology, history, and design to explore the inventions that almost revolutionized how we move. Each spread dives into the origins of these curious machines, why they were created, and what ultimately stopped them from changing the world.

From flying jeeps and vertical take-off planes to futuristic cars that stayed on the drawing board, this book celebrates human ingenuity and reminds us that progress often begins with failure.

• Unusual Vehicles & Forgotten Ideas: Discover incredible machines like the Hafner Rotabuggy (a WWII flying jeep) and the Conair XFY Pogo (a Cold War vertical take-off plane).
• Stunning Technical Illustrations: Realistic, detail-rich artwork by former design engineer Martin Sodomka brings each concept to life.
• Behind-the-Scenes Stories: Explore the surprising reasons these inventions failed, from political decisions and economic hurdles to engineering challenges and public skepticism.
• Engaging & Educational: Learn how social conditions, wars, and technological limits shaped these inventions and why they didn’t succeed.
• Perfect Giftfor Young History Readers: A gorgeous hardcover book for curious minds, classrooms, libraries, and design enthusiasts.

For over 75 years, Albatros Media has been crafting original and innovative children's books that are both playful and educational, fostering curiosity and a thirst for knowledge in young minds. We deliver the highest quality children’s books from novelty, picture, pop-up, and how-to books, to non-fiction, and fairy tale books.

Tom Velcovsky is a graduate in Audiovisual Production from the Silesian University in Opava, Czechia, where he specialized in screenwriting and storyboards. Before switching to children’s books and the making of comic strips, he worked in advertising.

Stepanka Sekaninova used to work as a TV reporter and in the production of children’s programs. Now she is a writer and a editor-in-chief, living in the Czech Republic.

Martin Sodomka was born in 1968 and he studied at the Department of Industrial Design Management. His first job was as a design engineer. In 1993 he founded a graphics studio. In 2012 he published, at his own expense, How to Build a Car, the first book in the Technical Tales series; this book was inspired by his restoration of a classic car (1963 Škoda Octavia). This book became an immediate bestseller and was translated into ten languages. Martin Sodomka is married with two children.