THE THEORY OF BALLOONING
Griffith Brewer F.R.Ae.S.
ROYAL AIR FORCE, London, October 1918
Theory of Ballooning (1918) is a collection of lectures on military ballooning which were delivered to R.N.A.S. and R.A.F. officers at Roehampton Royal Naval Air Service (later R.A.F.) Station between January 1916 and October 1918. The book was reprinted several times during WW1 - this is the 8th edition. It includes details of the principles and practice of ballooning, military Kite-Balloons, and ballooning & aviation instruments, including air speed indicators, barometers, barographs and statoscopes. Well illustrated with line drawings and diagrams, this is an important and very early work on the military use of balloons.
Griffith Brewer (1867-1948) was a pioneer balloonist and aviator. While working as a patent agent in the family firm, Brewer became interested in ballooning and made his first ascent, as a passenger, in May 1891 at the Naval Exhibition in Chelsea. He became a pupil of Percival Spenser, going on to pilot balloons for the Spenser Brothers in 1892, and taking part in multiple balloon contests. Brewer competed in the first edition of the Gordon Bennett Cup, held in Paris in 1906, and in 1908 he won the International Balloon Race at the Hurlingham Club in Fulham. Later that year, Brewer was invited to a demonstration of the Wright Brother’s aeroplane, the Kitty Hawk. On the 8th of October 1908, at Camp d’Auvours near Le Mans, at the invitation of Wilbur Wright, Brewer went up as a passenger in the Kitty Hawk, becoming the first Englishman to go up in an aeroplane. Brewer had been sceptical of mechanical, heavier than air flight, but these demonstrations changed his mind and he went on to become a close friend and supporter of the Wright Brothers. Following Wilbur Wright’s death in 1912, Orville Wright entrusted Brewer with the formation of the British Wright Company. Brewer qualified for his American Pilot’s License during one of his trips to Dayton, Ohio in 1914, before returning to England after war had been declared. Between 1915 and 1918 Brewer acted as an Honorary Advisor to the Royal Naval Air Service, lecturing to British and Allied balloon and airship officers at the Roehampton Kite Balloon Station. After the war, Brewer returned to Brewer & Son, continuing his work as a patent agent. Brewer gained his British Aviator’s Certificate in 1930 and bought a Gipsy Moth which he flew until 1938. He also qualified as an autogiro pilot in 1933. Brewer had been a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society since 1903 and went on to serve as society President from 1940-1942. With the society, Brewer founded the annual Wilbur Wright Lecture. He was also a founding member of the Royal Aero Club.
Condition:
In very good condition. The boards are in very good condition, with minor signs of wear and use and some slight fading at the edges. There are two Patents Library index numbers on the rear board. The binding and hinges are very good and secure. The text and illustrations are in very good condition.
Published: 1918
Blue boards with gilt titling
Illustrated with diagrams and line drawings
Dimensions: 145mm x 215mm
Pages: 106
