This book offers a wide-ranging synthesis of human flight over the years. The late 19th century was marked by a passionate interest in the emerging fields of both aeronautics and photography. This book collects images of airplanes that have marked the history of the conquest of the skies, the wars of the 20th century, and the more peaceful developments in the air transport in recent times. This is a unique opportunity to discover the unlimited potential of combat planes and follow the evolution of civil aviation from its beginnings to the bold futurist projects currently in progress. These pages also contain the fascinating story of the advances made in technology, construction, and modes of propulsion, from muscular energy to the reactor via the piston engine.