Flying Cars, Amphibious Vehicles and Other Dual Mode Transports: An Illustrated Worldwide History

Author: Green, George W.

Brand: McFarland

Edition: 1

Format: Illustrated

Number Of Pages: 240

EAN: 9780786445561

Release Date: 15-07-2010

Package Dimensions: 10.0 x 7.0 x 0.9 inches

Languages: English

Binding: paperback

Part Number: photos, glossary, bibliography, index

Details: It wasn't very long after the first commercially viable automobiles came on the scene that ambitious engineers began to dream of vehicles that could travel not only on land but also in the air, or by water. For a century, talented designers have created unique dual purpose vehicles for land, water and air (in various pairings) for both civil and military applications. Sometimes converted from standard vehicles, sometimes beginning as clean-sheet designs, these machines have met the engineering and economic challenges of dual-mode travel with varying degrees of success. This book describes a fascinating array of these vehicles from the United States and abroad, including flying automobiles, roadable aircraft, amphibious vehicles, hovercraft, road-rail trains, and triphibious inventions.