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Books > Sport & Leisure > Transport: general interest > Aircraft: general interest
When the Wright brothers finally took to the air in the Wright
Flyer in 1903, it was the realisation of one of humanity's oldest
dreams. From there on in, the sky really was the limit, and the
early twentieth century was a time of pioneering technical skill
and bravery, as men took to the air in primitive, experimental
flying machines. Soon, various organisations sought to encourage
innovation in the design and construction of aircraft by pitting
them against one another in races offering trophies and cash
prizes. Most prestigious among them was the Schneider Trophy,
launched in 1913 by French industrialist Jacques Schneider to
promote the development of seaplanes. The race was fiercely
competitive, and many of the pilots were First World War veterans
who were willingly putting their lives on the line once more.
Crowds flocked to spectate and winners were feted. Aircraft
designers were brought together from across the globe, resulting in
the rapid sharing, or perhaps stealing, of new technology and
ideas. Year by year, dramatic improvements in the winning speeds -
often breaking records - charted the progress made, and this
eventually had a great impact on the development of fighter
aircraft in the Second World War and the future of the air industry
alike. Eighty-five years since the British entry won the final 1931
Trophy, this highly illustrated volume brings to life the 'quest
for speed' once more.
The creative and technological genius of the Wright brothers,
Wilbur and Orville, led to the first powered and controlled flight.
Born in Ohio, USA, the brothers' fascination with flight began at
an early age. Their first powered aeroplane, 'The Wright Flyer',
was tested at Kitty Hawk in 1903. Wilbur's first flight was on 14
December 1903, but quickly stalled and crashed. Three days later,
after repairs, Orville flew to 540ft and landed safely after 12
seconds; this was the first powered flight in aviation history.
Packed with facts, figures and little-known details, this book
charts the triumphs and tragedies of the Wright brothers as they
set about making history together.
The Blackburn, later Hawker Siddeley, Buccaneer enjoyed an
incredible service career that lasted over four decades. Designed
as a carrier-borne attack aircraft, the Buccaneer was a solid
aircraft designed to take the punishment of carrier operations and
the constant stresses to the airframe caused by low-level flying.
The aircraft entered service with the Royal Navy in 1962 in place
of the Supermarine Scimitar and would continue with the senior
service until 1978. The RAF received their first aircraft in 1969 -
a legacy of the cancelled TSR.2 and F-111K, which resulted in a
capability gap that had to be closed. The Buccaneer went on to
serve the RAF in the low-level strike and reconnaissance role until
1994, serving with distinction during the Gulf War of early 1991. A
robust and reliable aircraft that was popular with both its air and
ground crews, the Buccaneer was a breed apart. A truly great
British piece of engineering.
Vulcan: God of Fire is a historical account of Britain's nuclear
deterrent force, the development of atomic/thermonuclear weapons
and the bombers. It includes a description of the design,
development and manufacture of the Vulcan, the flight-testing
programme and entry into RAF service. There is also a full account
of the Vulcan's career, including its primary role as a nuclear
bomber and as a key participant in the 1982 Falklands conflict.
Further coverage includes the use of the Vulcan as a refuelling
tanker and reconnaissance platform, and the Vulcan XH558, whose
last flight was on 28 October 2015. Historical information is
combined with first-hand accounts from former air and ground crews,
and a full description of the service history or disposal of every
Vulcan aircraft manufactured is included. This book comprises a
comprehensive work on the Vulcan aircraft and its role in British
aviation, with many stunning images to accompany this definitive
account.
This remarkable book pictures the growth of British civil air
transport from its inception in 1910 through to the formation of
Imperial Airways in 1934 and then the beginnings of British
Overseas Airways Corporation. The author shows the impetus given to
aircraft production by the First World War, and presents a careful
account of the operational and financial fortunes of each of the
four principal British airlines which began operations shortly
thereafter. The fight against official apathy and lack of foresight
on the part of the government, the campaign for subsidies and the
struggle with foreign competition are interestingly presented.The
development of the chosen-instrument concept in Great Britain is
interestingly covered and the use of subsidies in this connection
justified in order to place civil aviation on a firm financial base
for the establishment of a great British airline to serve the
Empire. The result was Imperial Airways, which soon found itself in
the awkward position of being expected to be both a successful
commercial company and the chosen instrument of imperial policy.The
final emergence of British Overseas Airways was the result, and its
organization marks the close of the period covered in this volume.
Included in the book are comprehensive statistical appendices and a
complete bibliography.
A must-have A-Z guide with fascinating facts, figures, quotes and
statistics from the high-flying world of aviation, From Airbus to
Zeppelin has it all. D is for Desert Island Discs: just what would
Dambuster Guy Gibson have liked while marooned on his desert
island? E is for Everest: did you know that two Scotsmen were the
first to fly over the magnificent mountain? F is for Faster than
the sun: which aircraft was the first to fly faster than the
Earth's rotation? A must-read for anyone interested in the world of
aviation - and may win the reader a pub quiz or two!
In Concorde, Jonathan Glancey tells the story of this magnificent
and hugely popular aircraft anew, taking the reader from the moment
Captain Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947 through
to the last commercial flight of the supersonic airliner in 2003.
It is a tale of national rivalries, technological leaps, daring
prototypes, tightrope politics, and a dream of a Dan Dare future
never quite realized. Jonathan Glancey traces the development of
Concorde not just through existing material and archives, but
through interviews with those who lived with the supersonic project
from its inception. The result is a compelling mix of overt
technological optimism, a belief that Britain and France were major
players in the world of civil as well as military aviation, and
faith in an ever faster, ever more sophisticated future. This is a
celebration, as well as a thoroughly researched history, of a truly
brilliant machine that became a sky god of its era.
In 1976 a Jersey-based air taxi operator purchased two elderly
Dakota aircraft for cargo charters as Air Atlantique. Thus began
the saga of an airline that would eventually operate one of the
largest fleets of Dakotas in the world, acquire four-engined
vintage propliners, diversify into passenger charters and pleasure
flying and oil-spill response work, and take over the lease on its
Coventry Airport base. From here a fleet of historic aircraft
sallied forth to participate in air shows around the UK. The
impending retirement of the airline's founder Mike Collett brought
about changes, but the freight charters and pleasure flying
continued until new regulations brought passenger flying in the
Dakotas to an end. Undaunted, Air Atlantique went on to open an
aviation museum and visitor centre at Coventry. This is the story
of a unique and much-loved British airline.
A unique contemporary account of the epic air battle of Malta as
related by fighter pilots of No. 185 Squadron, among them Flight
Lieutenant H.W. 'Chubby' Eliot, Sergeant Garth E. Horricks and
Sergeant J.W. 'Slim' Yarra. For nearly eighteen months the squadron
saw continual action, finally helping to win the air war over Malta
before taking the fight to the enemy by bombing and strafing
targets in support of Allied ground forces during the Italian
campaign. From the first day of squadron operations on 1 May 1941
until the squadron was disbanded on 14 August 1945 pilots recorded
events in an unofficial squadron diary. Supplemented with rare
combat and intelligence reports, 185: The Malta Squadron is a
humorous and often poignant account, with explanatory notes by
Anthony Rogers that provide a clear and authoritative overview of
events.
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium
bomber, universally known as the 'Wimpy'. The only bomber in
construction throughout the Second World War, the Wellington played
a pivotal role in training and combat from its conception in the
1930s, through active service in the Far Eastern, Mediterranean and
German arenas of conflict, until its final use by the RAF in 1953.
This book follows the fascinating story of the much-loved and
innovatively designed Wellington throughout its life, including
many tales from the aircraft's years with Bomber Command.
Illustrated with a wide selection of images, both colour and black
and white, this book is a fitting tribute to a wonderful servant of
the RAF.
Popular history has a tendency to simplify, and accounts of the
life and career of aeronautical engineer R.J. Mitchell are no
exception. Remembered most fondly for his epochal Spitfire design,
his other designs - many of them failures and disappointments -
have largely been ignored. As a designer for Supermarine, Mitchell
produced a huge body of concepts, projects and ideas that never
left the drawing board. In Beyond the Spitfire Ralph Pegram brings
Mitchell's previously unseen work to light in an attempt to
evaluate the entire portfolio of one of Britain's most talented
aeronautical designers. Illustrated with a combination of layout
drawings and impressive CGI renderings of Mitchell's designs, this
book is an insightful and indispensable addition to our
understanding of the work of a man often called a genius.
Combat Legends - the perfect introductions for the general reader,
enthusiast and modeler alike wishing to find a succinct yet
detailed introduction to the design and history of the aircraft
that have made history. Ju 87 Stuka was an essential weapon in
Hitler's Blitzkreig, and the best-known, most feared and most
successful dive-bomber ever. It played a key role in Western
Europe, the Mediterranean and the Russian front. Profiles,
photographs and specification details are included.
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