The Story of Flight: The Development of Aviation through the Ages

From the very first flights in balloons and gliders to the launch of a spacecraft to the moon, mankind has been fascinated by the challenge of taking to the skies above us. In this beautifully illustrated book, the history of flight is presented from a global perspective. From early pioneers such as the Wright brothers, Alcock & Brown and Louis Blà riot; to more recent innovators, such as the highly skilled engineers and technicians that brought Concorde to the world. Their stories are woven together to tell of the daring exploits and dangerous challenges which have formed the long arc of development from the amazing hot air balloons of the Montgolfiers to the complex technology of military jets, through to the high-tech wizardry that has seen man soar through the Earth's atmosphere and out into space. The Story of Flight looks at the spread of aviation throughout the world, how it developed as a new means of military combat and how it became the leading mode of international travel, all in the space of less than 100 years. This book contains 15 facsimile items ranging from George Cayley's 1849 design for a glider, to the log book kept by Arthur Whitten Brown during the first ever transatlantic flight, and the Apollo 11 mission report of the moon landing. …