Flight

An extraordinary visual history. Fortunately the Wright brothers' first flight was captured forever by photography. A spectacular visual record accompanies every step of aviation's astonishing advances, and memorable images record travel events, such as the Hindenburg disaster. Flight is a comprehensive history of air travel as told through four hundred dramatic photographs. The book covers aviation history from the first attempts at flight to the latest aircraft. Flight includes the early pioneers of gliders and even a steampowered model plane that predated the Wrights' success at piloting a sustained powered flight. The book covers the major eras of aviation: Major aircraft of World War I- Barnstorming and adventure in the 1920s and 30s - Pre-World War II American aircraft and European dirigibles- Beginnings of passenger travel - Jet power and stealth during World War II and the Cold War- Modern military and passenger aircraft. A short essay introduces each section and detailed captions explain the significance and context of each photograph. Flight also includes blueprints for a glimpse into the engineering marvels of seven aircraft ranging from a Spitfire fighter to the supersonic Concorde airliner. Flight will appeal to aviation enthusiasts of all ages.