Glenn Curtiss: Pioneer of Flight

By Cecil R. Roseberry

Book Overview

Glenn Curtiss (1878-1930) was a self-taught aeronautical engineer, a self--made industrialist, and one of the first airplane pilots, the model for "Tom Swift." C. R. Roseberry's biography begins with Curtiss's years in Hammondsport, New York, his experiments with designing and learning to fly his own airplanes, and his many "firsts" in aviation history. Establishing one of the first aviation schools, Curtiss also developed a highly successful aviation company and designed one of the most popular early American planes--the Curtiss JN-4 (the "Jenny").

More than just a biography, this is also a well-documented history of the development of aviation and the key figures associated with it during the first three crucial decades of this century. Through an examination of Curtiss's dealings with people such as Alexander Graham Bell, his original partner, and Wilbur and Orville Wright, his most important rivals, Roseberry provides insight into the overall development of flight in America.

Aviation enthusiasts, historians, those interested in American technology and industry, and all who enjoy a good story will welcome this book.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0815602642
• ISBN13: 9780815602644
• Release Date: September 1991
• Publisher: Syracuse University Press
• Length: 524 Pages
• Weight: 1.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The best overall biography of Glenn Curtiss

I first read this exceptional book years ago - and then met its author, Tip Roseberry, a fine man and an accomplished historian/writer. Sometime later I wrote my own book on Curtiss, PENDULUM, THE STORY OF AMERICA'S THREE AVIATION PIONEERS, WILBUR WRIGHT, ORVILLE WRIGHT, AND GLENN CURTISS, THE HENRY FORD OF AVIATION, and in the process discovered several important unknowns about Curtiss, his partner, Alexander Graham Bell, and his relationship with Henry Ford which Roseberry never knew. Suffice to say that anyone studying the life of Curtiss should read both books - and will come away with a new, never-before-understood appreciation of this great man. In fact, since finishing PENDULUM I've learned more very startling and important things which has led me to write BELL AND CURTISS, HOW THE PARTNERSHIP OF ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL AND GLENN HAMMOND CURTISS LED TO THE FOUNDING OF THE AMERICAN AVIATION INDUSTRY, as yet unpublished. But the credit goes to Tip, who so spendid! ly began it all.