History of aviation and aeronautics. Compiled by: Koreshkin I.A.

Bird flight, freedom and expression of airspace for many millennia attracted the attention of mankind. People always dreamed of climbing the sky. How did this ancient dream come true? The book presents the unique texts of aircraft historians, air forces and aviators about the most important events of the conquest of airspace by mankind - from ancient times to the beginning of the 20th century. Some heads of publication are devoted to the Russian Imperial Air Force, the first aircraft of domestic aircraft designers, essays and episodes of the air war of 1914-1918 according to the memoirs of the pilots of Germany, France, England and Russia. The publication is colorfully illustrated by the works of classical painting, ancient engravings, drawings and photographs of the very first aircraft - from the Helicopter Leonardo da Vinci and balloons of the Mongolfier brothers to the Count Zeppelin, the aircraft of the Wright brothers and theircrafts of the First World War.