TO RULE THE WINDS: VOL I

TO RULE THE WINDS: VOL I
By Michael C. Fox

In this first volume now reprinted in 2025, the author covers the militarization of aircraft as 'fighters' up to the start of the first world war.
He begins by going back to how manned balloons began to be seen as an observation aid to armies around the globe before the idea that bombs and even rockets, could be released from them.

As the focus of the book is on the British fighter, we then move on to birth of the aeroplane and again as more companies began to manufacture different types, experiments for potential weapons soon followed. 
The problem for the British and the newly formed Royal Flying Corps was that as they headed into war in 1914, the British aircraft industry was way behind that of many other countries. 
*Volume II will cover the 1914-1918 war and is expected to be published later this year.

This has been a highly readable account and I have learnt a great deal of the earlier history of flight in general. I look forward to reading the next volume, once available. 

The hardback book is available now and published by Helion & Company who I thank for this review copy. 



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