A close-up survey of 50 of the most remarkable and influential aircraft ever. For this book, the authors of the widely acclaimed Aviation Century series chose 50 of history's most influential aircraft, with profiles of their pilots and designers. They begin with the Wright Brothers' 1905 Flyer, then move on to the birth of aerial warfare in World War I, the trail-blazers of the interwar years, the first passenger flights, and the great flying boats. Classic World War II aircraft such as the Bf 109, Spitfire and Mustang are included among the stars of that time. Then come the jets of the Korean and Vietnam wars, modern commercial carriers, private jets, experimental designs, and new combat fighters featuring Stealth technology. Hundreds of color and archival photographs enhance an informative and entertaining text. Featured aircraft include: The Wright Brothers 1905 Flyer Fokker E.111 Sopwith Camel Charles Lindbergh's Ryan NYP Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega MesserschmittBf 109 Supermarine Spitfire Boeing B-17 Avro Lancaster De Havilland Mosquito Howard Hughes' Lockheed Constellation Concorde Learjet Boeing B-52 Rutan Voyager ... and 35 more.