Plane Speaking

Plane Speaking is the fruit of a lifetime's passion for aircraft. Few people have Bill Gunston's grasp of aviation history, his wide knowledge of technical developments and his insight into the complex web of politics, corporate manoeuvring and inventive genius that is international aviation. In this book he draws on a wealth of inside knowledge — and the not inconsiderable benefits of hindsight — to throw light on 45 moments in aviation history, from the first flying machines and strange deaths of First World War fighter aces to the first jet fighter, the Comet, and the ill-fated TSR 2.
Bill has picked each story at random, but they are united by an abiding affection for aircraft, their designers and the men who fly them. At the same time the author pulls no punches when it comes to criticizing the perennial shortsightedness, or on occasion downright stupidity, of politicians, bureaucrats and lawyers.
Amongst the questions he poses are: Why was the concept of the monoplane shunned by the British for 25 years? How could the useless Dragonfly engine have become Britain's near-standard aero engine? How could a giant airship vanish without trace? How was it that the Japanese Zero came as such a terrible shock when we were already flying a captured example? Why did Britain throw away the first 1,000-mph aircraft? Why were aircraft that equipped the Luftwaffe unknown in Britain whilst others that never existed were described in detail in British magazines and recognition books?
In this unfailingly entertaining collection, Bill Gunston confronts unsolved mysteries, remarkable happenings, ineptitude (not infrequently), heroism, technical brilliance, tragedy and disaster. For aviation enthusiasts everywhere, Plane Speaking offers pleasure, information and food for thought on every page.


by Bill Gunston
Published by PSL 1991 1st edition. 239pp illustrated, index. 16x24 mint, d/j fine.






Note:
"Long" descriptions, where shown, may have been taken from the book's dust jacket notes, and as such are relevant to the date of publication (e.g. any references to "new edition" "previously unpublished photographs" etc.) and not the present.