Revisit the romantic age of aeronautics when the rapid development of balloons, dirigibles and airplanes changed the world forever. Archibald Williams wrote this entertaining and informative journey through the early days of air travel for readers of all ages in 1926, covering the earliest ascents in balloons through the Wright Brothers, trans-Atlantic flights. The special edition enlarged reprinting includes: - Enlarged 7" x 10" pages - Crisp digitally re-scanned and enhanced images - Bold new cover design - Author's original page layouts - Classic type font - English printing with illustration captions Chapter by chapter Williams chronicles the feats and failures of those legendary pioneers of flight with enthusiasm and an eye towards the future, where he envisions a time when a "machine will be able to alight vertically in a space no larger than the back garden of a small suburban villa, or on a flat roof." Enjoy an informative look at the earliest ascents of balloons, dirigibles, and the first crossings that made history. The rapid development of the mechanical airplane is covered with great interest, as is its application in commercial air travel, exploration, and warfare. For readers looking to enjoy a broad, illustrated overview of airplanes and the history of air travel, Conquering the Air is a delight to read. "We shall devote our attention first to the origin of the spherical balloons and to the most notable voyages made in them. Next, we shall see how the balloon was altered in form, provided with motive power of its own, and converted from a mere gas-container and a self-directing aerial ship. Then follows an account of the experiments which led to the production of the first practical flying machine; to be succeeded by a series of chapters devoted to those fights, of successively increasing length, which, as first exemplifying the conquest of the air the grand scale, may justly be termed epoch-making." Table of Contents: Chapter 1: Early Balloon Ascents Chapter 2: Further Ascents in Fire-Balloons Chapter 3: The Coming of the Gas Balloon Chapter 4: The First Balloon Ascents in Great Britain Chapter 5: The First Crossing of the Channel by Air Chapter 6: Famous Balloon Voyages Chapter 7: The Coming of the Dirigible Balloon Chapter 8: The First Attack on the Atlantic Chapter 9: Pioneers of Mechanical Flight Chapter 10: The First Crossing of the English Channel by Aeroplane Chapter 11: From London to Manchester Chapter 12: A Splendid Future Chapter 13: The First Crossing of the Atlantic by Air Chapter 14: A Magnificent Success Chapter 15: To New York and Back Chapter 16: From London to Australia Chapter 17: From Cairo to the Cape Chapter 18: The First Non-stop Flight Across America Chapter 19: Aircraft in the Polar Regions Chapter 20: The First Flight Around the World Chapter 21: From Italy to Japan and Back Chapter 22: From Spain to Buenos Aires Chapter 23: Lifebelts of the Air Chapter 24: Aircraft in War Chapter 25: Airways Chapter 26: Uses for Aircraft Chapter 27: The Future of Flying About the Publisher: The CGR Publishing Restoration Workshop uses a vast array of computers and digital scanners to restore, preserve, and enhance the classic works of writers and artists from the 19th century. Each new release includes display-quality covers, enlarged covers, and retro fonts. Select books include Dante's Inferno Retro Hell-Bound Edition, Gustave Dorè's London: A Pilgrimage, The Complete Book of Birds, A Life of George Westinghouse, The Clock Book: A Detailed Illustrated Collection of Classic Clocks, The Aeroplane Speaks, and much more.