| Details | | Publication Date: | 1998-03-01 |
| Size | | Length: | 96 pages | | Height: | 10.5 in | | Width: | 9.0 in | | Thickness: | 0.8 in | | Weight: | 20.0 oz |
Publisher's Note
They'll fly through the air with the greatest of ease! Real gliders have stayed up for over 24 hours, and have evolved from primitive contraptions to sophisticated devices. Using paper and craft supplies, trace the history of aviation with these 16 miniature paper aircraft. Almost every modal is based on an actual glider -- each with its own wonderful history. Tips on aerodynamics and construction ensure that these beauties will really zip and soar. Dozens of photos, and fun glider facts and figures! Nothing gets cut from the book. Just photocopy the patterns and use them again and again.
Industry Reviews
Gr 5 Up Serious paper airplane crafters will welcome the 16 model gliders diagrammed here. However, the book is at least as valuable for its detailed account of the history of motorless planes from the early 19th-century experiments of Sir George Cayley to the new, high-tech PW-5 Smyk that will be used when soaring becomes on Olympic sport in 2000. In specific but nonmathematical terms, Schmidt explains Bernoulli's principle and other aerodynamic effects, then describes the use of gliders in wartime, the development of gliding as a competitive sport, and the continuing refinements in design and materials. The models, all but one of which are based on real gliders, are not for novices, as even the simplest has 10 pieces and the author warns that precise cutting and adjustments are required for good results. Nonetheless, Schmidt makes the construction as easy as possible with plenty of tips about safety and technique. He also instructs readers to photocopy the pages, and not cut them out. For its historical background, consider this as a companion to John Bringhurst's Planes, Jets and Helicopters (Tab Books, 1993). John Peters, New York Public Library
Lopate
| See an error? Submit a change request |
All rights reserved.
