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Overview
"A close-up survey of 50 of arguably the most remarkable and influential aircraft in aviation history. . . . Beautifully presented . . . this book will grace the coffee table of any aviation aficionado."
-- Airforce Magazine
In this book, the authors of the widely acclaimed Aviation Century series profile 50 of history's most influential aircraft, their pilots and designers.
They begin with the Wright Brothers' 1905 Flyer, then move on to the birth of aerial warfare in World War I, the trailblazers of the interwar years, classic World War II aircraft, the jets of the Korean and Vietnam wars, modern commercial carriers, private jets, experimental designs and new combat fighters featuring stealth technology.
Featured aircraft in 50 Aircraft That Changed the World include:
- Fokker E.111
- Charles Lindbergh's Ryan NYP
- Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega
- Messerschmitt Bf 109
- Supermarine Spitfire
- Boeing B-17
- Avro Lancaster
- De Havilland Mosquito
- Howard Hughes's Lockheed Constellation
- Concorde
- Learjet
- Boeing B-52
- Rutan Voyager
Hundreds of color and archival photographs enhance the informative and entertaining text.
Synopsis
"A close-up survey of 50 of arguably the most remarkable and influential aircraft in aviation history. . . . Beautifully presented . . . this book will grace the coffee table of any aviation aficionado."
-- Airforce Magazine
In this book, the authors of the widely acclaimed Aviation Century series profile 50 of history's most influential aircraft, their pilots and designers.
They begin with the Wright Brothers' 1905 Flyer, then move on to the birth of aerial warfare in World War I, the trailblazers of the interwar years, classic World War II aircraft, the jets of the Korean and Vietnam wars, modern commercial carriers, private jets, experimental designs and new combat fighters featuring stealth technology.
Featured aircraft in 50 Aircraft That Changed the World include:
Fokker E.111 Charles Lindbergh's Ryan NYP Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega Messerschmitt Bf 109 Supermarine Spitfire Boeing B-17 Avro Lancaster De Havilland Mosquito Howard Hughes's Lockheed Constellation Concorde Learjet Boeing B-52 Rutan VoyagerHundreds of color and archival photographs enhance the informative and entertaining text.
Editorials
Canadian Jewish News -
Fascinating.Library Journal
Following the completion of their excellent five-volume "Aviation Century" series in 2006, Dick and photographer Patterson decided to further share their expertise by offering additional studies of some of the century's legendary airplanes. This is their subjective attempt to rank which aircrafts merited inclusion (along with their pilots and designers) among the top 50 Aviation Hall of Famers. Priority choices include the Wright brothers' 1905 Flyer and various World War I fighters. The section covering the interwar period offers several record-breaking machines, while the World War II inductees profiled conclude with Hitler's Messerschmitt 262 jet interceptor. Classic Korean War jets and commercial liners follow. The book's final portions are devoted to aerospace engineer Burt Rutan's futuristic flying creations and combat jets for the 21st century, which incorporate such innovations as stealth technology and fly-by-wire controls. This is much more than a composite rehash of the "Aviation Century" series. The text is new, the team's selections are defensible, and the illustrations (300 color/b&w), sidebars, pilot and aircraft profiles, and human-interest stories are all fresh, appealing, and insightful. Recommended for all aeronautical collections.
—John Carver Edwards