By: Albanian Bob - 4th February 2015 at 14:59
I did a university project about forty years ago on the aeroplane up to 1913 using almost entirely books by Charles Gibbs-Smith. I still have a copy of The Invention of the Aeroplane 1799-1909 somewhere, but borrowed Early Flying Machines 1799-1909 and a couple of others I can’t remember from the library. Also acquired a facsimile Janes 1913 from somewhere.
By: J Boyle - 30th January 2015 at 03:12
For a biography of the Wright Brothers that discusses the technical aspects of their work, try Kill Devil Hill by Harry Combs, he was a pilot and ran Learjet in the 70s.
One book on my list is the recent Falling Upwards, How we took to the Air By Richard Holmes, it follows the pioneer generation of balloon aeronauts.
By: Chris B - 29th January 2015 at 18:18
Percy B Walker’s 2 volumes – “Early Aviation at Farnborough”. The first being “Balloons, Kites and Airships” and the second “The First Aeroplanes”.
By: Sideslip - 29th January 2015 at 18:07
The Rebirth of European Aviation 1902-1908 by Charles Gibb-Smith is a good read, as is No Longer an Island by Alfred Gollin. If you would like to read a book by one of the early pioneers himself there is Men, women, and 10,000 Kites by Gabriel Voisin.
By: SimonR - 28th January 2015 at 22:46
Hi there,
For a general grounding in some of the people and key achievements/milestones then I can heartily recommend this (or one like it):
It was a TV series in the late 1980’s and the accompanying book is actually very good indeed.
Cheers…
By: Mauld - 28th January 2015 at 18:41
Taking Flight by Richard P. Hallion ISBN 0-19-516035-5 from icusus to WW1 and beyond.
Pioneer Aircraft 1903-14 by Kenneth Munson a nice little pocket encyclopedia.
By: charliehunt - 28th January 2015 at 09:38
A bit later than your request but the early Jane’s All the Worlds Aircraft, starting in 1909, are fascinatingly full of information and detail and the advertisements are as interesting as the text.
By: Goldilocks - 28th January 2015 at 08:01
British Aviation – The Pioneer Years, by Harald Penrose.
The Aeronauts, by L. T. C. Rolt.
Goldilocks
By: Bager1968 - 28th January 2015 at 06:16
United States Naval Aviation 1910-60
My copy is a loose-leaf in a binder, 237 numbered pages.
The lower caption is:
Prepared at the direction of the
DEPUTY CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS (AIR)
and the
CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF NAVAL WEAPONS
1960
Lots of text, with photos of a lot of aircraft, both well-known and obscure.
By: Beermat - 27th January 2015 at 22:48
Bit of a gem in that department is ‘Aviation, the Pioneer Years’, Edited by Ben Mackworth-Praed. Definite French bias, suggesting French-language origins, but the ‘Studio Editions’ imprint I have gives no clues as to it’s genesis. Some wonderful detail, biographical and technical, and profusely illustrated.. from ancient legend though ballooning, gliders and other experiments in heavier-than-air, then developments right up to 1939. Engrossingly presented and fascinating stuff.
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January 27, 2015 at 9:28 pm