On January 2nd, 1909, the first issue of Flight magazine hit the newsstands in Britain. Today known as Flight International, it celebrates 100 years of publication, and is universally regarded as one of the most authoritative sources of information on all things aviation. Its Web site is a daily visit for me.
To celebrate, Flight has put out a series of commemorative articles chronicling its first 100 years, and speculating on what the next 100 may bring. Highly recommended reading for aviation enthusiasts.
Every issue of the magazine from 1909 to 2005 has been scanned and made available online in PDF format in the Flight archive. It’s a treasure-trove of historical information and photographs, and has been indispensable to me in preparing some of my Weekend Wings articles. Again, highly recommended viewing. Here’s just one example: Eugene Ely landing his aircraft on a specially-built wooden deck aboard the armored cruiser USS Pennsylvania in 1911. (Click the picture for a larger view.)
Flight also offers cutaway drawings of many historic and current aircraft and components, essential for the modeler or technical researcher. As an example, here’s the cutaway drawing of the Vickers Gun Interruptor System to allow machine-guns to fire through the propeller of early fighter aircraft (from World War I until the late 1930’s). Click it for a larger view.
All in all, if you’re ‘into’ aircraft, you should make time (a lot of time!) to visit Flight’s Web site and read through the articles, drawings and other historical information linked above. It’ll keep you interested for hours.
Peter