Overview

A hundred years ago, nations raced experimental seaplanes at terrifying speeds over open water. What started in 1913 as a wealthy Frenchman's sporting challenge became an international arms race long before the world went to war. Britain, Italy, France, and the United States poured money, talent, and lives into building the fastest aircraft on earth. Pilots flew machines that barely held together. Engineers pushed designs past what anyone fully understood. Every lesson learned came at a cost. This is the true story of the Schneider Trophy air races and why they mattered. From Monaco in 1913 to Venice in 1931, these races forced rapid advances in aerodynamics, engines, cooling systems, and high-speed control. The sleek racing seaplanes of the 1920s were not dead ends. They became the foundation for the fighters that decided World War II. The Supermarine Spitfire, the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, and modern fighter design all trace directly back to lessons learned racing around harbors at full throttle. Told race by race, this book follows the aircraft, the pilots, and the political pressure behind the scenes. You will see how small civilian design shops were replaced by government-funded teams, how nationalism and propaganda drove risk-taking, and how speed stopped being a sport and became a weapon. No aviation background is required. The story is written for curious readers, not engineers. Ten rounds of pub-style multiple-choice questions are included at the end to test yourself or play with friends.

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