“Give yourself a gift and read Flying Without Wings. You will be kinder, wiser, and more compassionate for having read it. I am.”—Abigail (Dear Abby) Van Buren At twenty-four, Arnold Beisser was a recent medical school graduate and a nationally ranked tennis player. But overnight a devastating bout of polio left him permanently paralyzed from the neck down and dependent on an iron lung to draw his next breath. Polio robbed Arnold Beisser of his strength, his athletic ability, and almost his life. Yet he discovered in this unthinkable trap not only the expected sadness and despair, but wonder, delight, and the pleasure of everyday living. This is the wise, deeply moving, and warmly humorous account of Arnold Beisser’s search for a new life and meaning as he comes to terms with his disability and then transcends it . . . to practice psychiatry, to fall in love, truly to soar without wings. His spirit and determination to fight for happiness will inspire any reader faced with unbearable loss. Dr. Beisser shows us why the contrast between winner and loser, athlete and cripple, is in our minds much more than in our bodies. And he shares with us the experiences that taught him life’s greatest truth: Nothing can keep you from love, laughter, meaningful work, or enlightenment—except yourself. “A book of blazing honesty and openness. It goes right to the heart of the reader.”—Norman Cousins, author of Anatomy of an Illness

Half a century before the 'flying wing' B-2 stealth bomber entered service, John K. 'Jack' Northrop was already developing prototypes of a large 'flying wing' strategic bomber, which would have been the most radical bombers of their age. World War II brought a need for very long-range bombers and Northrop received a contract for a 172-ft span bomber, the B-35. Several of these were built, gradually evolving into the definitive XB-35 configuration. Testing revealed that the aircraft was invisible to radar, but engineers struggled to overcome the design challenges and several pilots were lost in crashes. While the program was cancelled in the 1950s, the concept extended into other highly innovative areas, such as the XP-56 and MX-324 Rocket Wing prototype fighters. But the greatest legacy was the first operational flying wing – the Northrop Grumman B-2 stealth bomber, which used much of the hard-won experience from the pioneering programs of half a century before.

Some have said that if God had wanted us to fly, He would have given us wings. And yet, we were given the ability to dream, to think with our heads, to have courage in our hearts, and to build with our hands. Truly, we have been given everything we need: We really can fly on our own wings! Chris Heintz is a professional aeronautical engineer with a prolific career spanning over 40 years designing and building light aircraft. Recognized worldwide as a uniquely talented and accomplished designer, his aircraft are known and appreciated for their simplicity of construction, pilot-friendly cabins and controllability as well as remarkable performances. Today, Chris Heintz designs are flown throughout the world, mostly by recreational pilots who have assembled their own planes from a kit. His most popular models are also factory-assembled and sold as ready-to-fly sport aircraft on three continents. In FLYING ON YOUR OWN WINGS, Mr. Heintz shares his knowledge and insights into the art and science of light aircraft design. He "walks" readers through the essential understanding and skills required to conceive, develop, build and even test-fly their own personal light airplane. Basic mathematics, essential aerodynamics and stress analysis are just a few of the chapters of this fascinating book. Heintz even provides a sample design to help would-be designers take their first step towards imagining and creating their own wings. Truly a beginner's guide to everything you need to know in order to achieve that age-old dream: to fly on your own wings!

This new book is an in-depth study covering John K. "Jack" Northrop\s quest for a clean flying machine. Covered are: Northrop\s initial N-1M project, the N-9M, XP-56, through the B-35 project, B-49 project, and the huge bombers planned only on the drawing board.\nIncluded are over 300 black and white and color photographs, as well as drawings and statistical data on all of the Northrop flying wing and tailless aircraft.\nGarry Pape is also the author of Queen of the Midnight Skies: The Story of American\s Air Force Night Fighters. John and Donna Campbell are also the authors of Talisman: A Collection of Nose Art. Both books are available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.

This is an exciting new addition to the highly successful Secret Projects series, which examines some extraordinary flying wings and tailless aircraft projects. Designed and developed since the dawn of aviation, these aircraft still hold a great importance today, with many aviation enthusiasts eager to learn more about these remarkable aircraft, which provided the foundations for the modern aviation scene. Beginning with an analysis of the advantages of the flying wing, the author looks at why aerodynamicists have been attracted to this unique configuration since the earliest days of manned flight, highlighting a range of specific aircraft and relevant examples. Many aviation enthusiasts will delight in discovering the more intimate developmental details of familiar aircraft including the famous early glider Junkers and other World War 1 flying wing biplane designs.

WORLD HISTORY: SECOND WORLD WAR. With the Allied forces pushing into Germany, a desperate Hitler launched the next breed of German aircraft. Imagine a strange triangular bomber, that could not be detected by radar or intercepted by fighters, launching an inextinguishable ball of fire over London which destroys the city and its surroundings up to the sea. Or perhaps a black boomerang sixty meters long drops two tons of anthrax over Washington and New York, making them uninhabitable for fifty years.