Description
From its founding in 1927 until the establishment of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 1948, Wright Field played a vital role keeping the Army Air Force positioned as the worlds leader in aircraft design and development. The Second World War catapulted it into the leading edge of Americas war effort, as virtually each new aircraft produced for the Army Air Force was once developed and tested in Dayton. Wright Fields testing program also had the fascinating task of studying captured enemy aircraft, including some powered by jet engines, which engineers at the installation were also developing. Images of Aviation: Wright Field features scores of amazing photographs that tell the story of the airfield from its founding in 1927 through World War II, the Cold War, and beyond. Readers will also see the affect the base has played in the local people by providing thousands of jobs, in addition to one of the most greatest air shows ever held in america. In any case, a collection of crash photographs reveals the steadily tragic consequences that inevitably come with the testing of advanced experimental aircraft.