The World's Vintage Sailplanes 1908-45 book by Martin Simons : Immediate dispatch from Somerset. Pages in excellent condition. Nice book in great condition. Has a poster with it.. Hardcover. English. See images for condition.

Format: Hardcover

Author: Martin Simons

ISBN: 9780858800465

Condition: Used - Very Good


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About the book >.>.> This book began as a long series of articles written for the magazine, Australian Gliding, and appearing irregularly from May 1970 onward. Some of these have been reprinted in such journals as Aviasport, Soaring, NSM and in the newsletters of vintage glider clubs and associations. All these earlier articles have been revised, the drawings published with them have been redrawn, and much additional material has been added. Nothing has been written here about the great pioneers of aviation before 1909. Their work has been well described by other authors. The period covered falls into three phases; (1) pioneering experiments, (2) the development of the hill-soaring sailplane and (3), the emergence of the cross-country soaring sailplane and the rapid expansion of the gliding movement throughout the world ending, or almost ending, with the long-drawn-out disaster of the Second World War. By 1920 most people seriously interested in gliding knew that it was possible for a motorless aircraft to maintain or even gain altitude by flying in the upcurrent over the windward side of a hill, provided the slope was steep enough and the wind fairly strong. The Wright Brothers had done this in 1911 for a few minutes; Weiss' pilot, Gordon England, had had a similar, though briefer experience. Theoretically it was possible to remain aloft for longer periods; all that was lacking were suitable gliders and more expert pilots. It was soon theorised correctly that for minimum sinking speed a sailplane needed to be light but should also have a high aspect ratio, a relationship calculated by dividing the span by the mean chord of the wing. This ratio remains still the most important single factor governing the ability of a sailplane to ascend in upcurrents. (MP)