Aerei - Gran Bretagna: libri illustrati di storia e guide

From War to Peace : a Photographer's View of British Aviation During the 1940s

A photographic record of the aviation scene in Britain between the years 1940-1949. The photographs were taken by E. J. Riding (1916-1950) who spent his working life in the aviation industry, but was tragically killed in a flying accident.
During his short life, he worked as an aircraft engineer, professional photographer, draughtsman, aero-modeller and aviation writer.

Riding began taking photographs of aircraft in 1931 aged fifteen. Fortunately, he kept copious notes recording the locations and dates of when and where aircraft were photographed.
During the 1940s, he covered the rapid transition from propeller-driven aircraft to first-generation jets. The early part of the book covers Riding's wartime work as an aircraft inspector with two major aircraft companies, mostly illustrated with photographs taken surreptitiously.

Once civil aviation returned in January 1946, Riding took many air-to-air photographs of light aircraft that made regular visits to Heathrow and Croydon to photograph the new generation of airliners.
Three Farnborough air shows are featured in addition to several race meetings, including one featuring the latest piston and jet fighters.

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British Airship Bases of the Twentieth Century

Numerous books have been written on airships, but few concentrate on their bases and infrastructure to support their operations. "British Airship Bases of the Twentieth Century" starts with documenting the primitive facilities from which the early machines flew in the years prior to the First World War.
The outbreak of the First World War resulted in airships being adopted for military purposes and bases were established across Britain. Most of these were operated by the Royal Naval Air Service for the protection of shipping against U-boats.

In the 1920s, an attempt was made by the British Government to build airships for commercial transport. The locations where these giants of the sky were constructed are described as well as the proposed overseas passenger terminals.
The latter part of this enthralling and detailed book chronicles the attempt to establish the airship as a means of transport to link together the far flung lands of the British Empire.
Reference is also made at attempts to revive the airship in the closing decade of the 20th century and the locations associated with them.

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British Airships 1905-1930 (Osprey)

Presents the fascinating story of the cat and mouse duel between the airship and another pioneering form of technology - the submarine during World War 1. Detailed cut-away drawings reveal the design and development of the airship, during and after the war, whilst full-colour illustrations depict the airship in dramatic action shots.
A tragic accident in 1930 brought the British airship's military service to an end, resulting in a tiny window in which they were used and little acknowledgement over the years.

Ian Castle gives deserved attention to an aeronautical wonder that for a short amount of time played a crucial service to the defence of Britain.

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Flying Boats of the Solent and Poole

Flying boats have been a familiar sight in the Solent since the dawn of aviation. Two of Britain's major manufactures, Saunders-Roe and Supermarine, were based in Cowes and Woolston respectively. The area has been home to flying boats of Imperial Airways and, latterly, BOAC and Aquila Airways.

With a terminal at Hythe and then Southampton Docks, one could view not just majestic ocean liners but huge flying boats too, from the Empire boats of Imperial Airways to the majestic Saunders-Roe Princess, built in the post-war period. During wartime, BOAC operated their vital flying boat services from Poole Harbour. In fact, BOAC was based at Poole for longer than Southampton - a fact frequently overlooked, mostly due to wartime censorship.

Post-war route expansion was also undertaken while still at Poole. Military aviation in the area saw flying boats operated from RAF Calshot and RAF Hamworthy, with types ranging from elderly biplanes to Sunderlands.
Mike Phipp takes us on a tour of the Solent area and Poole Harbour's flying boat heritage using many previously unpublished images of the aircraft plus the men and women that flew and maintained them.

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SBAC Farnborough : a History

Home to the famous biennial Farnborough Air Show, the town of Farnborough in the south of England has had a pivotal role in the history of British aviation since flying commenced from the site in 1905.
The Royal Aeronautical Establishment was set up there and rapidly expanded as the scene of many significant developments in British aviation for many decades. Over the years, a range of buildings were constructed for various purposes and to house specific functions such as wind tunnels.

Many of these buildings are now listed and protected as part of a museum on the site. Farnborough is best known for its experiments and development of aircraft types. After the Second World War, it played host to a considerable variety of aircraft, including a number of Axis types captured during the war.

Beautifully illustrated and written by a leading aviation expert, SBAC Farnborough: A History is the definitive book on the subject of Farnborough from 1932 onwards.

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Why Not? - The Story of the Honourable Charles Stuart Rolls

Charles Rolls, cofondatore di Rolls-Royce, fu il primo inglese a morire in un incidente aereo all'età di 30 anni. La sua morte, il 12 luglio 1910, fu una tragedia nazionale e finì in prima pagina nei giornali di tutto il mondo. Sebbene fosse famoso durante la sua vita, oggi è spesso dimenticato, nonostante i suoi contributi significativi all'aviazione e all'automobile.

Prima della sua collaborazione con Henry Royce nel 1904, Rolls era già un pioniere. Nel 1898 effettuò la sua prima ascensione in mongolfiera e, già nel 1901, sperimentava il volo motorizzato. Nel 1909 fu acclamato per aver realizzato la prima traversata andata e ritorno della Manica con il Wright Flyer.

Proveniente da una famiglia aristocratica, Rolls fu uno dei più giovani pionieri dell'automobile in Gran Bretagna. Pilota di corse talentuoso, contribuì a rendere popolare la macchina. Una volta convinto della sua affidabilità, si dedicò alla conquista del cielo.

Questa biografia ricostruisce la vita di Charles Rolls, industriale visionario, aviatore e pilota di corse. Include numerosi estratti dei suoi scritti e testimonianze dell'epoca sui primi tempi dell'automobile e dell'aviazione.

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