From the ancient myth of Icarus to the USSR's and America's space race, man has always dreamed of soaring to the skies. This gorgeously illustrated book presents a global history of flight, including kite flying in China in the sixth century; da Vinci's prescient designs for flying machines; the Montgolfiers' hot-air balloons; the pioneering work of the Wright brothers, Alcock, and Blriot; and the subsequent rapid development of aviation technology that took us to the moon and beyond. Containing facsimiles of journal, diary, and notebook entries, plus newspaper accounts heralding aviation breakthroughs and blueprints of revolutionary new aircraft, The Story of Flight tells a fascinating story, filled with daring, danger, and magical success.    .