The History of Aviation

The dream of flight is as old as civilization itself. Examples from ancient Chinese and Greek literature and from Native and South American legend tell of flying warriors, priests and prisoners. Later, in the fifteenth century, Leonardo da Vinci drew more than 100 sketches related to human flight, designing a parachute, a hang glider and a four-man helicopter. Today, we have developed flight so advanced that unmanned drones can fly many hundred miles to carry out surveillance or bombing operations. The History of Aviation explores the fascinating history of flight, from early developments such as the Montgolfier brothers’ balloon and the Wright Flyer, through the technological advances of two world wars, to modern-day technological marvels such as the A380 and stealth fighter jets. The book also explains the political and economic reasons behind the development of certain aircraft and how aviation has affected and been affected by global politics. Addressing both military and civil flight, The History of Aviation includes a plethora of colour and black-and-white photographs and illustrations. Throughout is a timeline putting developments into historical context. From the balloon to the biplane to the Boeing 787, The History of Aviation is an expertly written and accessible account of the history of flight.