Many cultures have built devices that travel through the air, from the earliest projectiles such as stones and spears, the boomerang in Australia, the hot air Kongming lantern, and kites. There are early legends of human flight such as the story of Icarus, and later, somewhat more credible claims of short -distance human flights appear.

While there are many competing claims for the earliest powered, heavier-than-air flight, the most widely-accepted date is October 23, 1906 by the Alberto Santos-Dumont, in the first non assisted take- off flight. The widespread adoption of ailerons made aircraft much easier to manage.

This is a wonderful collection of twenty-seven {27} vintage books pertaining to the history, design and construction of these early flying marvels.

Also included is a scrapbook featuring 570+ photos of the Wright Brothers, providing a wonderful pictorial history of early flight.

This library includes the following publications:

:: Aeroplane construction; a handbook on the various methods and details of construction employed in the building of aeroplanes (1919)

:: Aeroplanes (1915)

:: Airplane characteristics, a systematic introduction for flyer and student (1918)

:: Aviation - An introduction to the elements of flight (1913)

:: Aviation (1912)

:: Aviation engines (1919)

:: Aviation in Canada, 1917-1918

:: Aviation, its principles, its present and future (1913)

:: Aviation, theorico-practical text-book for students (1919)

:: Aviation's place in tomorrow's business (1930)

:: Elements of aviation engines (1918)

:: Flying Machines - Construction & Operation (1910)

:: Flying machines past, present, and future. A popular account of flying machines, dirigible balloons and aeroplanes ([1914])

:: Fundamentals of aviation and space technology (1964)

:: Heroes of aviation (1918)

:: How To Build Aeroplanes (1910)

:: Learning to fly in the U. S. Army, a manual of aviation practice (1917)

:: Manual of military aviation (1917)

:: Military aviation (1916)

:: Sky high, the story of aviation (1929)

:: The aviation pocket-book for 1918

:: The conquest of the air, aeronautics, aviation, history, theory, practice (1909)

:: The Curtiss Aviation Book (1912)

:: The eyes of the army and navy, practical aviation (1917)

:: The first man-carrying aeroplane capable of sustained free flight (1915)

:: The way of the air, a description of modern aviation (1917)

:: Wright Brothers Photo Gallery

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