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Aerospace engineer David Owen investigates the different factors involved in aviation accidents, from severe weather conditions to pilot error, metal fatigue and inadequate aircraft maintenance, illustrating each major by means of crucial incidents, some of which puzzled the investigators, initially at least. He also examines the present-day state of aviation safety worldwide and the challenges facing this rapidly expanding industry.

In 2000 aircraft restorer Guy Black of Aero Vintage located the hulks of at least two Airco DH9 bombers in a remote part of India – hidden away in what had been a Maharaja’s elephant stable at his palace in Bikaner, Rajasthan. They were truly remarkable finds, and extremely rare examples of a near-extinct and important WWI aircraft type – none of which had survived in Britain.   Recognising their importance to the UK’s aviation heritage, and excited by the challenge of restoration, Guy set abo...

The support provided by the Allied air armies to the preparations for the invasion of France and the Normandy campaign is overshadowed by the dramatic and protracted fighting on the ground. Yet the air campaign played a key role in blinding and isolating German forces in northern France in the months preceding the D-Day landings. These Allied air forces then supported the Allied armies as they pushed inland, most notably by hampering the march of Hitler's panzer divisions and controversially bom...

The 1930s still conjure painful images: the great want of the Depression, and overseas, the exuberant crowds motivated by self-appointed national saviors dressing up old hatreds as new ideas. But there was another story that embodied mankind in that decade. In the same year that both Adolf Hitler and Franklin D. Roosevelt came to power, the city of Chicago staged what was, up to that time, the most forward-looking international exhibition in history. The 1933-34 World’s Fair looked to the future...

Illustrated with detailed artworks of modern military aircraft and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, The Essential Aircraft Identification Guide: Modern Military Airpower 1990–Present is an extensively researched review of the equipment and organization of the world’s air forces and their deployment in recent conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Organized by country, branch of the armed forces, and squadron, this book details the responsibilities of each and...

The birth of the Royal Air Force during World War I marked a pivotal moment in modern military and political history. With Europe's western front frozen in a bloody stalemate of trench warfare, both sides sought some means of directly attacking enemy resources and morale. The new technologies of air power were used at first for reconnaissance of enemy positions for artillery strikes. By 1917 German bombers had begun raids on British cities, including an attack on London that killed hundreds, wit...

This is the story of the world's favourite supersonic plane, and more particularly the dramatic life and retirement of 'Alpha Alpha', now part of the collection of the national Museums of Scotland. 'Alpha Alpha' made her maiden flight on 5 November 1975 and two months made the first commercial flight of any British Airways Concorde when she travelled from London to Bahrain. The story of Concorde is told here through quotes from passengers and staff, and through a selection of amazing facts about...

Established in 1917 to train Royal Flying Corps aircrew, during WWI Duxford was also the base for two United States Aero Squadrons, 137 and 159, and by the end was a mobilisation airfield for three DH9 day bomber squadrons. During the 1920s and 30s, expansion continued apace, with three fighter squadrons, 19, 29 and 111, and the presence of many illustrious names, including Harry Broadhurst, Johnny Kent and Frank Whittle. The first aerodrome in Fighter Command to receive the Spitfire (in August...

Polar Winds traces a century of northern flight from balloonatics to bush pilots and beyond. "They were all gamblers and fortune seekers. They did things on their own - were independent people who wanted to be free to roam. They were good people, but, of course, some were loners or escapists. They all depended strictly on their wits." Joe McBryan, pilot and owner of Yellowknife-based Buffalo Airways, was talking about gold prospectors in the 1940s when he said this, but he could just as easil...

Designed and manufactured by the men who would make Concorde, the Rolls-Royce powered Vickers VC10, and its larger variant, the Super VC10, represented the ultimate in 1960s subsonic airliners. The VC10 was Britain's answer to the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8. The VC10 was a second-generation jetliner designed in the 1960s and manufactured into the 1970s. It incorporated advanced engineering, new aerodynamics, and design features, to produce a swept, sculpted machine easily identifiable by i...

Sixty-eight reminiscences about aviation in Nebraska, or by Nebraska pilots elsewhere in the world, between 1912 and 1990.

Fighter aircraft were developed by during World War I at an unprecedented rate, as nascent air forces sought to achieve and maintain air supremacy. German manufacturers innovated at top speed, while constantly scrutinizing the development of new enemy aircraft. The Germans also utilized the concept of systematic production or modular engineering during the war—Fokker capitalized on this aspect with all his aircraft built in a similar fashion—wooden wings with welded steel fuselages. This meant t...

This is the history of the Luftwaffe through the eyes of those who served in combat. The rise of the Luftwaffe from the ashes of the Great War is traced through recollections of Luftwaffe personnel who manned the gliders and perpetuated the charade that this was a civilian undertaking. The heady optimism generated by the stunning successes of the Blitzkrieg era are soon overturned by the grim experiences of the Battle of Britain and the life or death fight for the skies over Germany as the road...

Amy Johnsons solo flight to Australia smashed many previous aviation records of the 1920s. This work, written by Constance Babington Smith, tells the story of the typist who took to the skies.

The Avro Lancaster is the most iconic bomber ever to have worn the markings of the Royal Air Force. This legendary aircraft was the mainstay of Bomber Command throughout World war II and served throughout the war with distinction. This hardback book looks at the role of the aircraft and features over 70 illustrations of the Lancaster. It also includes cutaways that show the structure of the aircraft that demonstrate what made this such a unique aircraft.

Howard Hughes, the movie mogul, aviation pioneer and political hound dog, has always fascinated the public with his mixture of secrecy, dashing lifestyle and reclusiveness. Companies responsible for major technological leaps often become household names. An exception is Howard Hughes's pioneering helicopter company, Hughes Helicopters, a name that has fallen into oblivion. Yet most schoolboys in the world have heard of the company's prize-winning product: the Apache helicopter. Hughes popularise...