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But Will It Fly?

But Will It Fly? The History and Science of Unconventional Aerial Power and Propulsion

Paperback (09 Oct 2025)

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Publisher's Synopsis

Conventional aircraft today are propelled by the action of propellers or jets, and powered by the internal combustion of petroleum fuels in piston, turboprop or jet engines. But other power sources, powerplants, and propulsion devices, for airships as well as aircraft, have been proposed and even experimented with over the last few centuries. The power sources considered include human muscles, steam, batteries, nuclear reactors, and hydrogen fuel; and the propulsion devices include sails, oars, flapping wings, rockets and cycloidal propellers. This meticulously researched book presents the history of these unconventional aerial power and propulsion systems, as well as the underlying science and technology, and practicality, of these alternatives.

Book information

ISBN: 9781476696546
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Imprint: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Pub date:
Language: English
Number of pages: 183
Weight: -1g
Height: 229mm
Width: 152mm
Spine width: 9mm