📘 The Story of Aircraft – Robert J. Hoare A & C Black Ltd, London – Fifth Edition (1973)
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A beautifully illustrated and genuinely engaging mid-20th-century aviation history, The Story of Aircraft charts mankind’s journey from the very first aeroplanes to the jet age and the dawn of supersonic travel.
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Written by Robert J. Hoare and published as part of Black’s Junior Reference Books, this fifth, revised and re-illustrated edition (1973) expands and updates earlier versions first published in 1958. Despite being aimed at younger readers, it’s packed with serious historical content and remains a wonderful reference for aviation enthusiasts of all ages.
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📖 What it covers
The Wright Brothers and early pioneers
Historic European and British aviation achievements
Early air mail and commercial airlines
Transatlantic and global air routes
The rise of jet aircraft and jumbo jets
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Airports, air travel, and aviation’s impact on everyday life
The book is richly illustrated with black-and-white photographs, diagrams, and period imagery, including contemporary airline cockpits and aircraft interiors that now feel wonderfully nostalgic.
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🧾 Publication details
Publisher: Adam & Charles Black (A & C Black Ltd)
Edition: Fifth edition, revised and re-illustrated
Date: 1973
First published: 1958
Printed in: Great Britain
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📐 Format
Hardback with original illustrated dust jacket
Approx. 95 pages
Fully illustrated throughout
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🔍 Condition (honest & transparent)
Dust jacket present but well-worn, with visible edge wear, creasing, small tears, and losses (as shown in photographs)
Boards sound and intact
Binding firm
Pages clean overall, with some age-related toning
A few library/ownership markings and stamps visible
A solid, readable copy with great visual appeal, especially for display or reference, though priced to reflect the jacket wear.
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💙 Why we love it
That dust jacket alone – featuring a Boeing 747 in Continental Airlines livery – perfectly captures the optimism of 1970s aviation. It’s a nostalgic slice of design history and a reminder of when air travel still felt like a grand adventure