The Britain in Pictures series presents an important collection of images from the Press Association’s unique archive, most of which have lain unseen since they were first used in the newspapers of their day.
Man has long dreamed of flying, first taking to the air in balloons blown by the wind. Invention of the internal-combustion engine led to the ill-fated airships, and the first powered, heavier-than-air flight by the Wright brothers in 1903. Aircraft developed rapidly from flimsy, fabric covered structures to metal, pressurized jet airliners. But the pioneering days are far from over: thrill seekers still leap from hilltops in hang gliders, balloonists circumnavigate the globe and aircraft fly pilots to the edge of space.
AVIATION traces the development of manned flight, a journey in time accomplished through almost 300 images from the Press Association’s archives. Hand-picked by Press Association Images’ own archivists, many of these pictures have lain unseen since they were first published in the newspapers and magazines of their day.
