The Quest for Speed : Air Racing and the Influence of the Scheider Trophy Contests 1913-31 by Mike Roussel read ebook DJV, TXT
9780750967914 English 0750967919 The Quest for Speed, This new book charts the impact of the Schneider Trophy on aircraft design, and how air racing focused both flying skills and aircraft capability. In the early 20th century, interest in flying, building, and competing aircraft developed at a furious pace. The Trophy s enforced break during World War I saw the loss of some of the pilots and an increased focus on speed in aircraft construction; when the contests restarted in 1919, a new breed of pilots took part, with combat and aerobatic experience. During the "Golden Years of Aviation," there were clashes between government sponsorship and private venture, and resounding defeats that focused designers such as Reginald Mitchell into designing specific racing machines. The government eventually began to sponsor the British entries, and the RAF HighSpeed Flight was formed to fly the racers, finally winning the Trophy outright in 1931, when the shadow of war was looming.", When the Wright brothers finally took to the air in the Wright Flyer in 1903, it was the realisation of one of humanity's oldest dreams. From there on in, the sky really was the limit, and the early twentieth century was a time of pioneering technical skill and bravery, as men took to the air in primitive, experimental flying machines. Soon, various organisations sought to encourage innovation in the design and construction of aircraft by pitting them against one another in races offering trophies and cash prizes. Most prestigious among them was the Schneider Trophy, launched in 1913 by French industrialist Jacques Schneider to promote the development of seaplanes.The race was fiercely competitive, and many of the pilots were First World War veterans who were willingly putting their lives on the line once more. Crowds flocked to spectate and winners were feted. Aircraft designers were brought together from across the globe, resulting in the rapid sharing, or perhaps stealing, of new technology and ideas. Year by year, dramatic improvements in the winning speeds - often breaking records - charted the progress made, and this eventually had a great impact on the development of fighter aircraft in the Second World War and the future of the air industry alike.Eighty-five years since the British entry won the final 1931 Trophy, this highly illustrated volume brings to life the 'quest for speed' once more.
9780750967914 English 0750967919 The Quest for Speed, This new book charts the impact of the Schneider Trophy on aircraft design, and how air racing focused both flying skills and aircraft capability. In the early 20th century, interest in flying, building, and competing aircraft developed at a furious pace. The Trophy s enforced break during World War I saw the loss of some of the pilots and an increased focus on speed in aircraft construction; when the contests restarted in 1919, a new breed of pilots took part, with combat and aerobatic experience. During the "Golden Years of Aviation," there were clashes between government sponsorship and private venture, and resounding defeats that focused designers such as Reginald Mitchell into designing specific racing machines. The government eventually began to sponsor the British entries, and the RAF HighSpeed Flight was formed to fly the racers, finally winning the Trophy outright in 1931, when the shadow of war was looming.", When the Wright brothers finally took to the air in the Wright Flyer in 1903, it was the realisation of one of humanity's oldest dreams. From there on in, the sky really was the limit, and the early twentieth century was a time of pioneering technical skill and bravery, as men took to the air in primitive, experimental flying machines. Soon, various organisations sought to encourage innovation in the design and construction of aircraft by pitting them against one another in races offering trophies and cash prizes. Most prestigious among them was the Schneider Trophy, launched in 1913 by French industrialist Jacques Schneider to promote the development of seaplanes.The race was fiercely competitive, and many of the pilots were First World War veterans who were willingly putting their lives on the line once more. Crowds flocked to spectate and winners were feted. Aircraft designers were brought together from across the globe, resulting in the rapid sharing, or perhaps stealing, of new technology and ideas. Year by year, dramatic improvements in the winning speeds - often breaking records - charted the progress made, and this eventually had a great impact on the development of fighter aircraft in the Second World War and the future of the air industry alike.Eighty-five years since the British entry won the final 1931 Trophy, this highly illustrated volume brings to life the 'quest for speed' once more.