Mayday!: A History of Flight through its Martyrs, Oddballs and Daredevils

The thrilling stories of those who looked to the skies and dared to dream of flight

'Gripping… dazzling tales of madness and derring do.' Brian Clegg

In a world without aircraft, to believe flight might be possible required a certain kind of character. You had to be starry-eyed, a possessor of practical ingenuity, nerves of steel and a level of sanity that would be best described as deficient.

In Mayday!, David Darling tells the stories of the unconventional aviators across history who have...