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• Carlos Lázaro

• "Discover" Collection

Language of the publication:

  Spanish

Today, the sight of a balloon or a zeppelin in the sky evokes memories of times gone by, although not many people know that the origins of these aircraft which, at least in their appearance, have changed very little, opened the way to the "conquest of the heavens" by Mankind's first aeronauts, back in 1783, when the Montgolfier brothers took to the skies in a hot-air balloon in Annonay, France.

A short time later, it became possible to steer these aircraft, leading to the birth of the dirigible, which meant that they could be used for voyages. For a time, these craft became a means of passenger transport, with their luxurious gondolas equipped with everything the privileged travellers might need, until the terrible Hindenburg tragedy put paid to their future development for quite some time.

Names such as Meusnier, Giffard, Santos Dumont or Ferdinand Zeppelin are indissolubly linked to the birth and development of these aerostats, distinguished researchers who combined their scientific knowledge with unquestionable valour, since most of them tested their inventions themselves.

Historian Carlos Lázaro's intention with this book has been to rescue these aircraft from oblivion and show us all of their possibilities (from their beginnings to the present day).