World speed record aircraft: The fastest piston-engine Landplanes since 1903

Hardbound 14x22, 242 pages. This book starts with Wright brothers and takes you through each chalenger for the world speed record up until the era of the Reno races. The writer involves you in the personalties of the individuals along the way and makes what is essentially a list of aircraft all linked by the quest for speed become something much more. The early preminence of France in the field up until the 1930s was new to me. The effect of the Schneider Trophy making float planes fasted than land planes is refered to in passing but floatplane are outside the scope of the book. The propoganda surrounding Germanies record holders of the period up to and including the second world war is well detailed. Many other nations are covered including Italy Russia and the UK with details of any serious contender often with drawing and picture to illustrate. After the second world war the era of supercharged modified ex fighters is nicely covered up to the current record holder. 1990 edition. 9780851778440