Overview

Balloons, parachutes, aeroplanes, gliders, airships - the extraordinary personal tales of the women who led the way in early British aviation! There is no book that covers the roles played by the lesser known British women in aviation, and while Amy Johnson is a household name, many women performed outstanding feats in this brave new world, from Mrs Hines in 1785 who inadvertently became the first to do a night-time balloon flight and water landing; to Rose Spencer, who while four months pregnant in 1902 became the first British woman to fly a powered airship; to Winifred Brown, the first and only woman to win the prestigious King's Cup Air Race, beating a formidable array of male pilots. This important new study seeks to record and present the British women who were courageous enough to set the scene for future generations, revealing the tales of the key women who achieved 'firsts' in British aviation from 1785 to 1935. These extraordinary women deserve a place in the history books. AUTHOR: Sally Smith is a journalist and writer who has worked for Harpers, Daily Mail, BBC News, ABC News in Australia, was named Business Writer of the Year and has had books published by Pelham Books and Rigby Books (Australia). She was British women's freefall (style) parachute champion; founder and team leader of the world's first all-girl parachute display team; a member of the British parachute team; member of the Australian ballooning team; was 2nd overall female at world ballooning championships and a commercial balloon pilot. She now lives in Somerset. 20 colour, 30 b/w illustrations

Full Product Details

9781803991542

Table of Contents

Reviews

Magnificent Women and Flying Machines is a fantastic celebration of the amazing achievement of women in the air and space! All kudos to our foremothers who said knickers to peril and prejudice and went ahead with their ambition regardless. -- Dr Alice Bunn CEng, FRAeS, FIMechE This lovely book offers a welcome and enjoyable read and provides a timely testament for these unsung pioneers of aviation. -- Maggie Appleton MBE A real celebration of the women who defied tradition and followed their dreams into the sky. Readable and entertaining, this book is a worthy tribute to Britain's woman aviation pioneers. -- Sharon Nicholson FRAeS

Author Information

Sally Smith is a journalist and writer whose love of life has combined adventurous activities with an impressive career. At 23, she was appointed a foreign correspondent for the Daily Mail and spent time in the far east including Hong Kong and Japan. She went on to work for the BBC News in the UK, for ABC News in Australia; was named Business Writer of the Year and was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship. She has had books published by Michael Joseph, Rigby Books and The History Press.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available