Flight and flying

the long version

Flight and Flying: A Chronology is a unique historical reference to the history of aviation through the present day. Beginning with the earliest documented indications of humankind's attempt to take to the skies with crude parachute-like devices, Baker examines in depth the efforts of 18th- and 19th-century European balloonists to achieve controlled flight. He also traces the genesis of powered flight leading to the Wright brothers' historic success at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, and surveys aviation through to the Persian Gulf War. Baker's chronology covers every significant event in the history of aviation, including the achievements of individual fliers and inventors, technological innovations (both successes and failures), the development of commercial airlines, and the creation of military air forces. In addition, Baker gives specifications for virtually every important aircraft ever designed or built, including the Boeing 747, the Mitsubishi A6M Reisen (Zero), the P-38, the L-1011, the Constellation, the B-52, the supersonic Concorde, Zeppelins and other airships, the F-4 Phantom, the Mirage, Soviet MiGs, and hundreds of other craft. Richly illustrated with more than 150 photographs depicting a whole range of aircraft discussed in the text, Flight and Flying: A Chronology is an indispensable record for aviation historians, enthusiasts, and pilots alike.