Man-powered aircraft
Don Dwiggins
192 pages

Don Dwiggins does it again. A mixture of journalist, historian and aviation nut, Dwiggins weaves his stories of man's dream to fly like a bird into tales of adventure, personal reminiscences and human folly.

After a basic history lesson, we are lead to the world of cranks and quacks, who died as quickly and most assuredly as the serious coulda-beens.

Dwiggins' book has extensive coverage of bug and bird men, which most of the other MPA (man powered aircraft) books I have do not.

I particularly liked Spencer. I have a copy of his patents for his flappers as well.


LCCN:  78011137
Author: Dwiggins, Don.
Main Title: Man-powered aircraft
Edition Information: 1st ed.
Published: Blue Ridge Summit, Pa. : Tab Books, 1979.
Description: 192 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.
ISBN: 0830698515. : $9.95. 0830622543 $5.95
Notes: Includes index.
Subjects: Human powered aircraft.
Series: Modern aircraft series

Gossamer odyssey
Morton Grosser
280 pages

The book is an account of the two successful record breaking, Kremer prize-winning aircraft, Gossamer Condor and Gossamer Albatross.

The author was on the team of Albatross, the channel crossing winner.

The book details the technical and human challenges. It goes into a little (modern) history of the Sumpac, Toucan and other attempts.

The author makes clear why Paul MacCready was successful with his design, and how his was a complete break with past designs.

He also makes clear the role that craftsmen had in the success of the project.

The book is particularly satisfying in the technical explanations and details, without being cumbersome.

Perhaps a little frustrating; we are presented with a large cast of characters, the author tries to give them personalities, but we never really get to know them.


LCCN:  80039634
Author: Grosser, Morton.
Main Title: Gossamer odyssey : the triumph of human-powered flight
Published: Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1981.
Description: xxi, 298 p., [16] leaves of plates : ill. ; 24 cm.
ISBN: 0395305314 : $14.95
Notes: Bibliography: p. [280]-284.
Includes index.
Subjects: Human powered aircraft.

The fullness of wings : the making of a new Daedalus
Gary Dorsey

This book is somewhat similar to the Morton Grosser Gossamer book.  It describes the successful project to fly an MPA from Crete to Santorini, following the legend of Daedalus.

Shut up in a tower to prevent his knowledge of the labyrinth from spreading to the public, Daedalus escaped by fabricating wings for himself and his son Icarus.

Far less technical information is given in this book which attempts to give a more personalised account.

One of the concentrations is on the project director, John Langford.  Instead of being an inspired and gifted leader, he comes across as a manipulative user.

One can't help but compare this to Paul MacCready's projects. This is probably unfair, but without the technical information you are left with a "what's the point" feeling.

LCCN:  89040666
Author: Dorsey, Gary.
Main Title: The fullness of wings : the making of a new Daedalus / Gary Dorsey ; afterword by John S. Langford, project director.
Published: New York, N.Y., U.S.A. : Viking, 1990.
Description: xiii, 350 p., [16] p. of plates : ill., map ; 24 cm.
ISBN: 0670824445 : $19.95
Subjects: Human powered aircraft.
Daedalus (Greek mythology)
Aeronautics--Aegean Sea Region--Flights.