Planes: From the Wright Brothers to the Supersonic Jet by Jan van der Veken (ISBN 978-3791374413; Hardcover $19.95; Ages 8-12; 104 pages)
My thoughts: Fascination for flying has occupied the mind of man for eons. As a child I remember my brothers and other boys making paper airplanes (with a variety of wing tip folds) and soaring them.
Wars and military strategies advanced with ever improving equipment, specifically airplanes, to fight new and more advanced warfare. Until today's modern airplane soars at super sonic speeds wreaking havoc on enemies far and wide.
And youngsters, both boys and girls, are continuing to be fascinated with the vehicle that soars through the air - the airplane.
In this book youngsters will learn how air moves over the wings dependent on the wing's shape and the impact such airflow has on the plane's motion. The history of the plane from its humble beginning to the marvel it is today fascinates the reader with each page turn.
The varied knowledge and skill that aviators must know and the ability to calculate variables is touched on further exploring the vastness that is the world of planes and flying them.
This is not a "kiddie" book as it is written in language understandable by the maturing child but without technicalities the field of aviation truly requires. It wets the appetite for more. It presents the types and history of aviation and planes in their fascinating capabilities to transport the individual to places around the world and on the edge of space.
A really good book to have in libraries of all types and for readers to have for hours of fascinating perusal.
About the book: Budding aviation fans will pore over every page of Planes: From the Wright Brothers to the Supersonic Jet. A fascinating encyclopedic guide to the history and mechanics of flight, from the Wright Brothers to the Concorde.
How does a plane move through the air? What is turbulence? What do those lines on the runways mean? All these questions and many more are answered in this gorgeously illustrated history of planes and flight. The book opens with a basic introduction to plane anatomy and shows how aircrafts have developed over the ages. Readers will then learn about aerodynamics, the mechanics of wing shape and lift, and how ailerons, propellers, and flaps work. There's even a section on communications systems, runway design, and GPS. Profiles of famous historic planes illustrate basic principles throughout the book. Readers will find out about record-breaking flights across continents and oceans; how "flying wings" evolved into the B-2 bomber; and where the world's most treacherous runways are located. A section on experimental aircraft looks at zeppelins, flying cars, and the fate of the Concorde jet. Jan Van Der Veken's lushly colored, retro drawings detail everything from plane design to the physics of flight and provide the perfect companion to his engaging text. Budding aviators will linger over every detail of this information-packed book that serves both to demystify and celebrate the miracle of flight.
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