Slingsby Sailplanes: A Comprehensive History of All Designs

In many respects this volume looks just like a Putnam: that is about the highest praise I can think of for a comprehensive history of a major producer of gliders and sailplanes. Gliders have often been the Cinderellas of aviation history, but many new aerodynamic developments were first tested in them and subsequently led to important advances in powered aircraft; at the same time, many pilots began their flying careers in gliders. They also pioneered the structural use of new materials in aircraft, including glass fibre reinforced plastics and carbon fibre composites. The North Yorkshire firm of Slingsby was prominent...