Henson and Stringfellow: Their Work in Aeronautics; The History of a state in the Development of Mechanical Flight 1840-1868
London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1931. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Hardcover. 114, [2] pages. Color frontis. Footnotes. 25 plates. 4 Figures. Illustrations. 6 Folding-plates. Appendices. Bibliography. Index. Preface. Introduction--The State of Aeronautical Science at the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century. Chapters entitled: I. William Samuel Henson (1805-1888); II. John Stringfellow (1799-1883); III. The "Aerial Steam Carriage"; IV. The Formation of the "Aerial Transit Company"; V. The experiments of 1844-1877; VI. Stringfellow's Experiments of 1848 and the First Model Flights; CII. The later Work of John Stringfellow; VIII. Note on F. H. Stringfellow; IX. Apparatus and Records in the Science Museum; X. Conclusion; Appendices A: Henson's Patent Specification of 1842; B. The Agreement between Henson and Stringfellow, 1843. Front cover somewhat bowed, with some wear and soiling. Henson and Stringfellow are frequently mentioned in books on the history of aviation. The Royal Aeronautical Society holds annual "Henson-Stringfellow" lectures; as of 2008 they have held 52. The Aerial's wings were rectangular, and were formed by wooden spars covered with fabric, and braced, internally and externally, with wires. The Aerial Steam Carriage was to be powered by two contra-rotating six-bladed propellers mounted in the rear in a push-type system. The design follows earlier "birdlike" gliders, and the ideas of George Cayley, and Henson corresponded with Cayley in an attempt to obtain funding. The Aerial Transit Company never built the largest version of the Aerial Steam Carriage. Henson, Stringfellow, Marriott and Colombine dissolved the company around 1848. More