A “Must Have”

http://columbuscameragroup.com/softbox-sale-november/ The Airplane A History of Its Technology

http://preferredmode.com/2013/05/10/gina-2/ By John D. Anderson Jr.

 

 

 

 

This is a simple review.

            “If you are a general reader without a background in engineering and science, but are interested in airplanes and the history of flight, this book is for you.”

If this, the first sentence of the book’s preface, describes you, John Anderson’s book should be in your possession. It is the book for you.

This is a very powerful summation. It is, however, warranted.

Its 359-pages are presented in eminently readable fashion, the type taking up about 2/3rds the width of a page. The remaining width of the page is used for the presentation of inset graphics, photographs, charts and captions. The illustrations, as numbered figures, are linked directly to the text they explain.

Once beyond the temptation of simply perusing the book by dipping into topics that the reader finds particularly interesting, one finds that each chapter is a book unto itself.   The seven chapters divide up the technological history of flight into pre-19th Century, 19th Century, the Wright Flyer, the “Strut-and-Wire” Biplane, the “Mature” Propeller-Driven Airplane and the Jet-Propelled Airplane.

Anderson defines the last two as the First and Second Design Revolutions. One has the sense that, given the opportunity, he could have provided a very detailed account of the Third Design Revolution.

The author has done a masterful job of incorporating the engineering aspects of aeronautics into the narrative of the airplane’s development without overwhelming the reader. In this manner, this book can be read on several levels.

If physics, mathematical symbols and formula scare the reader, simply ignore them. The prose will provide much more insight into the airplane’s development than the average knowledgeable reader brings to the table.

On the other hand, the more one cares to delve into an understanding of the physics and formulae, the greater the comprehension is of what amazing achievements were accomplished by the first aeronautical engineers.

This book is a must have.

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American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

1801 Alexander Bell Drive

Reston, VA   20191-4344

©2002

No price indicated

 

Reviewed May 25, 2004