(23 June 2015, Farmington Hills, Mich) Providing students, faculty and researchers a unique glimpse into the often hidden aspects of humankind’s conquest of the skies, Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, today launched Evolution of Flight, 1784-1991, a new digital archive in its Smithsonian Collections Online series. The archive brings together images, diaries, correspondence, scrapbooks, government documents and other primary source materials – many of which have only been available by special request – to provide the “story behind the story” of humankind’s desire to fly.
“Our partnership with the Smithsonian, the largest research complex in the world, has allowed us to open up new avenues of research for scholars. Taken together, these items offer an unparalleled view of the technological and societal impact of human flight,” said Paul Gazzolo, senior vice president and general manager, Gale. “And through integration with Cengage Learning’s MindTap platform, professors can bring this great material directly into classroom learning and discussion.”
Evolution of Flight, 1784-1991 brings together over one million pages of material in several languages from the National Air and Space Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution Archives and the National Air and Space Museum Library, Smithsonian Libraries. It sketches the lives and contributions of aviation’s pioneers, scientists, promoters, businessmen, barnstormers, racers, designers and manufacturers and aces (from World War I to Iraq). It is a treasure trove of images, personal papers and commemorative memorabilia. Topics covered include the first theories and experiments of early flight, inventions, air races, the fighter pilot, African Americans and aviation, women and aviation, the evolution of aerial weaponry, navigational technology, landmark altitude and long-distance flights, Germany’s WWII jet program, the Cold War aviation race and America’s current air fleet.
View the announcement in full here.
