Author Description

Decades before the Wright Brothers' first flight, many pioneers had claimed partial successes with flying machines and this illustrated history begins with some fascinating photographs of these 19th-century aviators and their creations. Led by the historic images, the book takes the story on through the feats of record breakers such as Blériot and Lindbergh and the aces of two world wars, to the first commercial flights and the modern era of fast jets and giant passenger airliners.