The History of Aviation and Ballooning

Bird flight, freedom, and the expanse of airspace have attracted human attention for thousands of years. People have always dreamed of rising into the sky. How was this ancient dream realized?
The book presents unique texts by aviation historians, balloonists, and... aviators about the main events in humanity's conquest of airspace - from ancient times to the early 20th century. Separate chapters of the publication are dedicated to the Imperial Russian Air Force, the first airplanes of domestic aircraft designers, sketches, and episodes of the air war of 1914-1918 based on the memories of pilots from Germany, France, England, and Russia.
The publication is richly illustrated with works of classical painting, ancient engravings, drawings, and photographs of the very first flying machines - from Leonardo da Vinci's helicopter and the Montgolfier brothers' balloons to Count Zeppelin's airships, the Wright brothers' airplanes, and the flying machines of World War I.