Dade, George C - Strnad, Frank
In May 1927, Charles Lindbergh took off from a place called Roosevelt Field and flew nonstop to Paris, completing history's first solo transatlantic flight in 33 and one half hours. Roosevelt Field, located in Nassau County, Long Island, about 20 miles east of Manhattan, is today a shopping center. Few people are aware of this airfield's important role in the early history of aviation.
It was at Roosevelt Field, however, and other early aviation centers - such as nearby Curtiss and Mitchel Fields - that daring fliers set endurance records, tested new aircraft and flying instruments, and began and completed outstanding flights that still stand as milestones in man's conquest of the skies.
In this remarkable photo-history, two highly respected authorities on the history of Long Island aviation recreate the glorious heritage of aerial exploits and technological break-throughs that earned the Island the nickname "Cradle of Aviation." Over 300 rare photographs span 30 years of achievement, including the inaugural heavier-than-air flight on Long Island made by Frenchman Henri Farman on July 31,1908; Glenn Curtiss' pioneering flights in 1909; seaplanes operating on Hempstead Bay in 1912; a triumphant Charles Lindbergh and his Spirit of St. Louis; internationally acclaimed aviatrix Elinor Smith setting an endurance record over Long Island; World War Two ace Jimmy Doolittle in a historic pre-war scene with the airplane he used in the world's first "blind" flights; and much more.
An informative Introduction outlines the role played by Long Island in aviation history, while detailed captions for each photograph identify planes, pilots, locales, and the significance of the scene depicted. Although this book will be especially welcomed by Long Island residents, its appeal extends to anyone interested in those heady days when brave men and women launched a fledgling industry and helped pave the way for modern aviation.
Softcover, large format
173 Seiten / pages
many photos
very good condition
Mineola, New York - 1989 - Dover Publications Inc
Art.Nr. 20605
