This is the first volume of the illustrated history of the 20th century aviation. Powered flight freed humanity from earthly constraints and revolutionised the world in countless ways - technologically, militarily, sociologically, economically and politically. This book covers the period from 1900 to 1939, exploring the eternal fascination with flight, the events surrounding the Wright brothers' and European pioneers' early flights, the dramatic development of military aviation brought about World War and the rise of commercial aviation. - 1900 - 1914 - Flying Start - Early Powered Flight - Pioneers in Europe - 1914 - 1918 - The Military Takes to the Air - Aerial Warfare - 1918 - 1939 - Commercial Aviation Develops - Air Mail - Air Luxury - Special spreads celebrate great pioneers, inventors and designers, such as AV Roe, Bleriot, Curtiss, Caproni, etc Previously available in the UK through Verulam. Now republished to coincide with volumes 2 and 3 in the series.