Balloon Factory: The Story of the Men Who Built Britain's First Flying Machines

Alexander Frater's new book is about a largely forgotten group of young men who, early in the 20th century, competed to build and fly Britain's first aeroplane. At the heart of his story lies the Balloon Factory, a cathedral-sized shed overlooking Farnborough Common, and its most celebrated occupant, the remarkable long-haired gun-toting ex-cowboy, Sam Cody.

Frater, in a work that is part-history, part-travelogue, goes in search of some of the most extraordinary pioneers, including Sam Cody, John William Dunne, Sir George Cayley and Geoffrey De Havilland. His richly described and wonderfully anecdotal journey brings those magnificent men – the rock stars of their time – and the places they knew vibrantly to life.