Propliners 1930 to the Present Day

A history of propliners, from the old Handley-Page 42 four-engined 1930s biplane to today's successful fuel-efficient short- and medium-haul turboprops - the BAE Jetstream and the Saab 2000. The romantic era of early passenger flight is evoked with Quantas Catalinas flying non-stop to Perth in 1935, or taking cocktails over the Atlantic with BOAC. The drama of the Dakotas and the Berlin airlift are covered together with famous failures such as the Brabazon Princess flying boat and Russian Tupolev 114. The change from piston to turbo, the inevitable victory of jet technology and the fightback of the turboprops to dominate sectors of the market provides a parallel technological narrative.