In this new edition, Gunston describes every major aeroplane manufacturer throughout the world. He focuses on the aircraft from the pioneering days to the very latest engines, and places each engine within its technological and historical context.

A reference work describing every major aeroplane engine manufacturer throughout the world, together with its products, from the pioneering days to the recent engines. Each aero engine is within its technological and historical context with power plants of all nationalities illlustrated. The human element of the story is also included with the personal struggles that resulted in such notable engines as the Rolls-Royce Merlin and the Pratt & Whitney P6 being related.

Using language understandable to those without an engineering background and avoiding complex mathematical formulae, Bill Gunston explains the differences between gas-turbine, jet, rocket, ramjet and helicopter turbo shaft aero engines and traces their histories from the early days through to today’s complex and powerful units as used in the latest wide-bodied airliners and high performance military jets.

This comprehensive visual reference shows every important marque from A to Z.

In 1431 the Portuguese navigator Velho set sail into the Atlantic, establishing a trade route to the Azores and marking the beginning of commerce with the West as we know it today. Equipped with reliable maps and instruments for open-ocean navigation and highly sea-worthy, three-masted, cannon-armed ships, Portugal soon dominated the Atlantic trade routes - until the diffusion of Portuguese technologies to wealthier polities made Holland the eventual successor, owing to its geographic position and its immense commercial fleet.