Planes: A Complete History

by R.G. Grant

Nothing seems to capture the imagination of humankind quite like the ability to fly, and just over a hundred years ago, that dream became a reality. Over the last century, planes have progressed in ways that would astound their earliest makers, and flying machines continue to inspire wonder in passengers and viewers alike. Now A Complete History offers an exciting look at the most exemplary representations of innovation in aviation history in a fun and interactive two-part book. With 50 press-out models of historic and contemporary aircraft and a detachable history book that outlines the planes that represented exciting “firsts” in the field — those that best represent the technology of their era and those that pushed the boundaries of what was possible — this book both instructs and entertains. Most importantly, it leaves the airplane enthusiast with a virtual hangar of model planes.

118 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 2014

About the author

R.G. Grant is a historian who has written extensively on many aspects and periods of history. Among his more than fifty published books are: Battle, Soldier, and Battle at Sea (2005, 2007, 2008). He was also a major contributor to the ITV Visual History of the Twentieth Century (1999) and consultant for Chronology of World History (1995). He is also a contributor to 1001 Battles That Changed the Course of History, where earlier versions of his contributions to Britannica first appeared.

Reviews

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

These planes are super hard to put together. No kid could do it. I as an adult struggled due to Terrible directions. There are some facts on each plane, but I’m sure we can find good book for that.

[Hyarrowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't resist this one. Fifty tiny little cardboard planes to make, with brief histories of each one!It drops a star because some are quite tricky to do, and I'm rather older than the eight-years minimum suggested - and the "how to" diagrams appear to have been drawn by ants. But still, they've kept me out of mischief for a week now. After a chastening encounter with the Wright Flyer, I'm working on increasing my skill levels slowly. The Fokker Triplane and the Lancaster bomber are treats I'm saving till I've made all of the others.