Story of Flight

The dream of being able to fly is as old as human history. This book, based on the outstanding collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C., tells the story of the remarkable people -- dreamers, inventors, and pilots -- who turned that dream into a reality.

Richly illustrated with photographs and illustrations The Story of Flight takes you on an exciting journey through time. Here you'll read about the development of ballooning; the earliest gliders; the Wright brothers' first sustained flights; Charles Lindbergh's solo trip across the Atlantic; Amelia Earhart's courageous flights; the explosion of the airship Hindenburg; the dogfights of World Wars I and II; Chuck Yeager's blast through the sound barrier; the Apollo astronauts' first steps on the moon and the building of the International Space Station.

More than 150 photographs and drawings, most in full color, illustrate and explain the amazing developments in the story of flight.

Judith E. Rinard is a freelance writer who worked for more than 20 years as staff writer for National Geographic. She is author of The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Book of Flight and has written extensively -- both books and articles -- on subjects as diverse as astronauts, whales and dolphins, and ancient cities.