A History of Aerodynamics: And Its Impact on Flying Machines

Cambridge Aerospace #8

by John D. Anderson Jr.

Aerodynamic principles that make flight possible were little known or barely understood as recently as one hundred years ago. Although their roots can be found in the fluid dynamics of ancient Greek science, it was not until the scientific breakthroughs at the beginning of the twentieth century that it became possible to design successful flying machines. This book presents the history of aerodynamics, intertwined with a review of the aircraft that were developed as technology advanced. Beginning with the scientific theories and experiments of Aristotle and Archimedes, the book continues through the applied and theoretical aerodynamics in the early 1900s, and concludes with modern hypersonic and computational aerodynamics. Students, fluid dynamicists, aeronautical engineers, and historians of technology will find this book a thoroughly engrossing account of the role of aerodynamics in the development of science and technology in this century.

Genres: Engineering, Aviation, Nonfiction, History, Science

492 pages, Hardcover

First published October 13, 1997

About the author

John D. Anderson, Jr. (born October 1, 1937) is the Curator of Aerodynamics at the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Reviews

[Brane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly epic work. This history leaves no stone unturned and will leave you in awe of the scope of human aerodynamic achievement.

[Zhang Stanley]

Took me some time to finish this book because sometimes I really need a moment or two to admire what the pioneers did and the way that they made history and opened up new frontiers.