GREAT MOMENTS IN AVIATION

This fine book, which contains photographs and some illustrations, shows some of the great moments - from the American point of view - in aviation throughout History.

Aviation has probably been responsible for the greatest change to peoples' lives this century. Aircraft for the first time took battle fronts to heavily populated inland cities that were many miles from where armies fought and even gave the first means by which mankind could destroy itself using atomic weapons. Conversely, modern airliners have brought foreign countries and even distant continents to within a few hours' reach of ordinary folk. 

( ... ) But flying is not new. Man first ascended in artificial flight on 15 October 1783. And even powered airplane flying did not begin with the Wright brothers in 1903 as is so often supposed, but the Wrights were responsible for developing and demonstrating the first airplane capable of being controlled and one that could remain airborne for a reasonable length of time. 

( ... ) This book tells some of those incredible stories, the heroism and the danger. It encompasses a period of nearly 200 years, from an attempt to fly the Irish Sea by balloon in 1785 to the first rescue in space.