The Literature of Aeronautics, Astronautics, and Air Power - From Prehistory of Flight, Practical Airplanes, Air Transportation, Turbojet Revolution, Supersonic Breakthrough, Space Age, Aeronautics

Professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction, this Air Force publication provides a guide to the research and technical literature on the history of aeronautics and astronautics. It is meant to provide readers with a guide to the vast collections of books and articles available today in libraries and from publishers.

General Reference Sources * The Prehistory of Flight, Antiquity to 1783 * The Era of Discovery, 1783-1903 * The Development of Practical Airplanes, 1903-1918 * The Rise of Air Transportation and Professionalism, 1918-1936 * The Ascendency of the Propeller-Driven Airplane, 1936-1945 * The Turbojet Revolution and the Supersonic Breakthrough, 1945-1957 * The Space Age and the Maturation of Aeronautics, 1957-1982

Since its inception in 1982, Project Warrior has revived interest inside the Air Force in using history to sharpen professional knowledge of air power. Project Warrior has also expanded interest in the heritage of the U. S. Air Force in peace and in war. The bibliographical essay published here as The Literature of Aeronautics, Astronautics, and Air Power is meant to provide readers with a guide to the vast collections of books and articles available today in libraries and from publishers. It was written originally in early 1982 by Dr. Richard P. Hallion as a Project Warrior monograph at the Air Force Systems Command's Edwards Flight Test Center, California. Drawing on his experience as an author, a curator at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, and as a history professor at the University of Maryland, Dr. Hallion recognized the need of scientists and engineers for a guide to the research and technical literature on the history of aeronautics and astronautics. Publication here of a revised, reorganized, and expanded version reflects our belief that what was so valuable to the flight test community will, in different form, be of similar use to the rest of the Air Force, to civilian scholars, and to aviation enthusiasts generally. Dr. Hallion's essay, while revised in size, scope, and emphasis, retains the flavor of its original purpose and reflects the author's interests, background, and professional judgments. In part, the essay also reflects suggestions made by the editors, especially on the growth and development of air power in the twentieth century.