Those Magnificent First Flying Machines: Aeroplanes and Engines Before 1912, and How to Build a Biplane and Monoplane

This could be the most amazing book you’ll ever read on early flight—a real trip back in time. Written by the aviation authorities of the day…Chanute, Lockheed, Maxim, Moedebeck, and many others present the true picture of aviation in its infancy. It features over 200 amazing photographs, 3-view drawings, detail drawings, and tables…from 1906 to 1911. You’ll learn exactly how early aeroplanes were built and how they flew. Vivid descriptions of performance and handling, and the truth about their engines, will make you feel like you’re at the controls! The aeroplanes of Antionette, Bleriot, Cody, Curtiss, Farman, Roe, Santos-Dumont, Voisin, the Wright Brothers and many more come alive on these pages. There’s even a couple of chapters on building and flying a Bleriot and a Curtiss, a section on gliders, and how to build and fly model airplanes. It’s truly amazing what had been accomplished by 1912—when every flight was an adventure. Flying was the miracle of the ages and its intrepid birdmen were the heroes and idols of the day. A better understanding of early aircraft and engines will give you a deeper appreciation of just how far we’ve come since flight’s humble beginnings. During the first decade of the 20th Century mankind finally got off the ground. Those brave early designers and flyers discovered that the sky was not the limit—it was the gateway! They paved the way to the airplanes and the flying we enjoy today. If you love aviation and history, you’ll love this book!