Mario Cobianchi

Il lavoro unico ed enciclopedico di Mario Cobianchi sulla fase pionieristica del volo in Italia è ricco di informazioni e di documenti raccolti di prima mano, rare e storiche illustrazioni di circuiti aerei, campi scuola, cartoline e fotografie, prove, esperimenti e gare aviatorie, spettacoli di aviazione, i precursori del volo, i vari velivoli,...
Le numerose note di aggiornamento e l'errata corrige a cura di Fiorenzo Longhi, uno dei maggiori esperti di Aerofilatelia italiana, attualizzano e arricchiscono il racconto, fatto giorno per giorno, di tutti gli avvenimenti aeronautici del periodo pionieristico, con date e nomi di gare aeree, partecipanti e vincitori,brevetti divolodegliitalianimilitari ecivili,posizione in campo europeo, fabbriche meccaniche di costruzioni aeree e le eroiche sperimentazioni, gli incidenti (purtroppo anch e mortali) dei pionieri.… (más)

Reprint of the original 1943 with carefully given additions and/or corrections which are clearly marked as such. Quality of reproduction of the pictures could be better, most of them are too black or too fuzzy. It is strange to see in the middle of the book a few coloured advertisements for the reprint firm. As an original 1943 copy of this book is very rare and might cost a fortune the reprint is the best that reasonable money can buy. This study about early pre-1914 Italian flying is an indispensable work for anyone interested in early flying.… (más)

The Vaccari edition of the Cobianchi's book is a reprint and, as recent discussion on The Aerodrome revealed, the page numbers are the same as in 1943 edition (+). The book is large (A4) and well done (+). No drawings included. Numerous pictures are clustered on separate pages, out of original numbering sequence. The selection of pictures is good (+) but actual print quality not so (e.g. in comparison with Mauro Antonellini's book). My feeling is the pictures are "reprints" not reproduced from negatives (-). Photo captions are very brief (-). There are numerous bottom-line editor notes with corrections to the original text, mostly about dates. The book is a good reference, in my opinion, because I have no other comparable source of information concerning this particular subject - the history of italian aviation before the end of 1914.… (más)