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1、THEMASTERYOFTHEAIRTHEMASTERYOFTHEAIRbyWILLIAMJ.CLAXTONPREFACEThisbookmakesnopretenceofgoingminutelyintothetechnicalandscientificsidesofhumanflight:ratherdoesitdealmainlywiththerealachievementsofpioneerswhohavehelpedtomakeaviationwhatitisto-day.Mychiefobjecthasbeentoarouseamongmyreadersan
2、intelligentinterestintheartofflight,and,profitingbyfriendlycriticismofseveralofmyformerworks,Iimaginethatthisisbestobtainedbysettingforththeromanceoftriumphintherealmsofanelementwhichhasdefiedmanforuntoldcenturies,ratherthantogiveamassofscientificprincipleswhichappealtonoonebuttheexpert.
3、Sorapidisthepresentdevelopmentofaviationthatitisdifficulttokeepabreastwiththetimes.Whatisnewto-daybecomesoldto-morrow.TheGreatWarhasgivenatremendousimpetustothestrifebetweenthewarringnationsforthemasteryoftheair,andonecanbutgivearoughandgeneralimpressionoftheachievementsofnavalandmilitar
4、yairmenonthevariousfronts.Finally,Ihavetriedtobringhomethefactthatthefascinatingprogressofaviationshouldnotbeconfinedentirelytotheairmanandconstructorofair-craft;inshort,thisprogressisnotaretordofeventsinwhichthemassofthenationhavelittlepersonalconcern,butofamovementinwhicheachoneofusmay
5、takeanactiveandintelligentpart.1THEMASTERYOFTHEAIRIhavetothankvariousaviationfirms,airmen,andotherswhohavekindlycometomyassistance,eitherwiththehelpofvaluableinformationorbytheloanofphotographs.Inparticular,mythanksareduetotheRoyalFlyingCorpsandRoyalNavalAirServiceforpermissiontoreproduc
6、eillustrationsfromtheirtwopublicationsontheworkandtrainingoftheirrespectivecorps;totheAeronauticalSocietyofGreatBritain;toMessrs.C.G.Spencer&Sons,Highbury;TheSopwithAviationCompany,Ltd.;Messrs.A.V.Roe&Co.,Ltd.;TheGnomeEngineCompany;TheGreenEngineCompany;Mr.A.G.Gross(Geographia,Ltd.);andM
7、.Bleriot;foranexpositionoftheinternal-combustionengineIhavedrawnonMr.Horne'sTheAgeofMachinery.2THEMASTERYOFTHEAIRPARTI-BALLOONSANDAIR-SHIPS3THEMASTERYOFTHEAIRCHAPTERIMan'sDuelwithNatureOfallman'sgreatachievementsnoneis,perhaps,morefullofhumaninterestthanarethoseconcernedw
