Rapid developments in aviation technology following World War II to the early 1970s brought high-speed air travel to the public. This history of the American airliner's embryonic years bridges the propliner era, famous for classic aluminum aircraft, like the elegant Lockheed Constellation and Douglas DC-3, with the dawn of early jetliners, like the DC-8, Boeing 707 and Convair 880. Modern and period photography transports readers back to this heady era, helping to detail the evolution of American airliners and the days of luxury air travel. Each aircraft is depicted in a variety of liveries representing airlines in the U.S. of the time.