This book follows the development of British piston-engine passenger and commercial transport aircraft between the end of the Great War and the early 1950s, when piston engines were superseded by jets and turboprops. This period saw rapid change at a technological level, in response to an emerging market for transport of all types. It also witnessed the birth, failures and mergers of numerous air transport companies. Flying was not without risks, Alongside the acknowledged successes that helped to make the world a smaller place, there were tragedies, Lessons learned from these contributed to the safer travel environment that we enjoy today. The pace of commercial aircraft development was given added urgency by World War Two, with many civilian aircraft pressed into military service: not all survived. Featuring many previously unseen photos, this book is the story of a previously closed chapter in British aviation and offers detailed accounts of 17 manufacturers whose advanced designs paved the way.
