I’ve just finished reading “Cracking the Sky” by Desmond Prout-Jones and I think he describes a book from the 1950’s that closely fits the description you have just given He states that it is a definitive benchmark book that helped him with his rocketry. I’ll have a peek tonight to get the title. I hope it’s the same book…

Did you ever get around to checking?

Mercurius Cantabrigiensis