From the first successful balloon ascension in 1783 to the latest explorations in space, this compact history recalls the challenging years that brought mastery of the air to men and supremacy in war and peace to our nation. Never has the stirring saga of the history of flight been told in more compelling terms. Conceived after a century and a half of experiment, born a stepchild of the Army, the Air Force came into its own when it proved that national strength — and national survival—were dependent on aerospace power.