The Aeroplane Speaks With Frontispiece, 36 Full Pages of Types of Aeroplanes and 87 Sketches and Diagrams

New York: Robert M. McBride & Co.. Very Good. 1917. 4th Printing. Hardcover. B&W Illustrations; This book is in Very Good condition and is lacking a dust jacket. The book and its contents are in generally clean, bright condition. The spine ends and corners of the book covers have some light bumping, rubbing and fraying. There are some spots of light discoloration to the spine of the book. The text pages are clean and bright. There is a previous owner's inks name and address on both the front endpaper and on the front pastedown page. The bottom edge block has the previous owner's inked name and book number. The text pages are clean and bright. "Captain Horatio Claude Barber (1875–1964) was an early British aviation pioneer and First World War flight instructor. In 1911 he flew the first cargo flight in Britain, transporting electric light bulbs from Shoreham to Hove. He was also the first person in Great Britain to gain an aeronautical degree." "Barber was one of the first aviation pioneers and within a few years of the first powered flight he leased a railway arch in Battersea to design and produce aircraft. In 1909 he moved to Lark Hill on Salisbury Plain and formed the Aeronautical Syndicate Limited to produce his designs. In early 1910 he began to fly his designs and in late September 1910 he became the first occupant of Hendon Aerodrome, newly established by the London Aerodrome Co, where he leased three hangars. His ASL Valkyrie design started test flying from there in October 1910, Barber using the aircraft to gain his Aero Club Certificate (No. 30) in November of that year. The company gave four Valkyries to the government and one aircraft and military pilot were lost in an accident in September 1911. Barber carried on with some experimental work, producing a tractor biplane called the ASL Viking early in 1912, but in April 1912 he dissolved the Syndicate, having failed to achieve any commercial success." .