Description
What You Get
Even before the doomed Icarus strapped on his waxen wings and exuberantly soared too close to the sun, humans have dreamt of harnessing the power of wind and flying through the skies. It was a dream that pushed daring pioneers to take bold physical risks in their quest for flight. It was a dream that also caught the fancy of a couple of Ohio bicycle-builders with keen engineering minds and thoughtful scientific natures. In 1903, on a chilly winter morning in the sand dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright brothers finally attained what humanity had long dreamt of and struggled for. “Success,” read the Wrights’ victorious telegram home. But that success was only the beginning. The power of controlled flight created a whole new set of challenges for pioneer aviators and aviation engineers as they sought ever safer, better ways to fly and ever bigger, better crafts in which to fly. 100 Years of Flight chronicles this fast-moving period of stunning technological achievements and heartbreaking failures. Learn about all of the classic aircrafts — and some of the infamously classic failures. 100 Years of Flight offers a look at everything from the Wright Flyer that started it all to the dogfighting biplanes of World War I that ushered in the era of military aviation. It traces the development of both the Boeing 707 jet airliner, which revolutionized commercial aviation, and the Lockheed-Martin Stealth Fighter, which changed the way wars are fought. More than 100 gorgeous photographs help bring the most important aircraft — including the storied warplanes of World War II and the Space Shuttles — right into your home. Of course, no history would be complete without stories about the people involved. 100 Years of Flight introduces you to the personalities that helped launch the field of aviation and those who have been involved with it ever since: Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Chuck Yeager, John Glenn, and many more. These modern heroes captured the imagination of the world with their bold willingness to reach for the skies. 100 Years of Flight also takes you behind the scenes to introduce the most important aviation engineers, including Anthony Fokker, who designed many of the classic World War I airplanes; Igor Sikorsky, who both designed airplanes and invented the modern single-rotor helicopter; and Kelly Johnson, the brains behind many of Lockheed’s most fabulous aircraft. These designers and others have helped mark the past century of flight with stunning technological progress. Exploration of the skies hasn’t stopped with the stratosphere. The infinite lure of space offered people the opportunity to look beyond their own backyards; it also offered two nations icily locked in a Cold War the opportunity to race for the sake of national pride and technological prestige. 100 Years of Flight helps take you up into the stars — from the horror of the Apollo 1 and Challenger tragedies to the triumphs of the successful Sputnik launch and Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. From a couple of Ohio brothers chasing a dream on a cold winter’s morn to a Quiet Supersonic Platform plane soaring through the air at 1,600 miles per hour, 100 Years of Flight is there to help commemorate a century’s worth of conquering the skies.
Publishing Info
100 Years of Flight by Bill Sweetman. From the First Printing by Publications International with 2002 copyright. The ISBN is This hardcover book measures about 12-1/8″ square and has 144 pages, ending with the Index.
Condition
See photo above. In very good condition with some lighter storage on the dust jacket (mostly top and bottom edge as would be expected). The boards are as new and the pages are in very good condition. Address label on front free endpaper, but no other markings found. From clean, smoke-free home.
Shipping
Generally sent the same day payment arrives. Unless you request otherwise, I will wrap the book in plastic wrap to help protect it from the elements, create a custom-made cardboard box to ship it in, and send via Media Mail with Delivery Confirmation tracking. See the shipping page for the cost to send a four-pound Media Mail package. Insurance is an additional cost as described. I am delighted to combine postage and insurance costs if you purchase more than one item. The second item may travel for free or just a few cents more — so it’s worth taking a look at my other items before you complete your order.
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