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The grand designers : the evolution of the airplane in the 20th century

Author

Anderson, John D., Jr. (John David), 1937- author.

Title

The grand designers : the evolution of the airplane in the 20th century / John D. Anderson, Jr., Smithsonian Institution and University of Maryland.

Format

Book

Published

Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, 2018. ©2018

Description

x, 306 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Uniform series

Cambridge centennial of flight.

Notes

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents

• Introduction : before the beginning
• The beginning : the Wright brothers and their design process
• Setting the gold standard : the design methodology of Frank Barnwell
• Products of the first design revolution : Arthur Raymond and the DC-3
• Design for speed : R. J. Mitchell and the Spitfire
• Design perfection : Edgar Schmued and the P-51 Mustang
• Defying the limits : the jet airplane, the second design revolution, and Kelly Johnson
• Airplane design and the grand designers : the end game.

Summary

"The airplane has experienced phenomenal advancement in the twentieth century, changing at an exponential rate from the Wright brothers to the present day. In this ground breaking work based on new research, Dr John D. Anderson, Jr, a curator at the National Air and Space Museum, analyzes the historical development of the conceptual design process of the airplane. He aims to answer the question of whether airplane advancement has been driven by a parallel advancement in the intellectual methodology of conceptual airplane design. In doing so, Anderson identifies and examines six case histories of 'grand designers' in this field, and challenges some of the preconceived notions of how the intellectual methodology of conceptual airplane design advanced. Filled with over one hundred illustrations which bring his words to life, Anderson unfolds the lives and thoughts of these grand designers. Provides a new perspective on the history of airplane design, exploring it as an evolutionary intellectual process; Examines six case histories and identifies for each the responsible 'Grand Designer', comparing their similarities and differences; Makes the historical evolution of airplane design come alive for both the technical and non-technical reader" -- From the publisher.

Subject headings

Airplanes--Design and construction--History--20th century.

Genre heading

History.

ISBN

9780521817875 hardcover 0521817870 hardcover

Standard Identifier

40028060306