{"product_id":"the-man-who-built-the-adrian-smith-9781788313360","title":"The Man Who Built the Swordfish: The Life of Sir Richard Fairey, 1887-1956","description":"Sir Richard Fairey was one of the great aviation innovators of the twentieth century. His career as a plane maker stretched from the Edwardian period to the jet age - he lived long enough to see one of his aircraft be the first to break the 1000mph barrier; and at least one of his designs, the Swordfish, holds iconic status. A qualified engineer, party to the design, development, and construction of the Royal Navy's state-of-the-art sea planes, Sir Richard founded Fairey Aviation at the Admiralty's behest in 1915. His company survived post-war retrenchment to become one of Britain's largest aircraft manufacturers. The firm built a succession of front-line aircraft for the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm, including the iconic Swordfish. In addition, Fairey Aviation designed and built several cutting-edge experimental aircraft, including long-distance record-breakers between the wars and the stunningly beautiful Delta 2, which broke the world speed record on the eve of Sir Richard's death in 1956. Fairey also came to hold a privileged position in the British elite - courting politicians and policymakers. He became a figurehead of the British aviation industry and his successful running of the British Air Commission earned him a knighthood. A key player at a pivotal moment, Fairey's life tells us much about the exercise of power in early twentieth-century Britain and provides an insight into the nature of the British aviation manufacturing industry at its wartime peak and on the cusp of its twilight years.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Adrian Smith\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1788313364\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781788313360\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e I. B. Tauris \u0026amp; Company\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/30\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 480\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 2.00lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.80h x 6.10w x 1.70d","brand":"Adrian Smith","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":48065825079551,"sku":"9781788313360","price":61.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_d6e6821d-74a2-4a03-bf68-0bd7b38ff432.jpg?v=1768677532","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-man-who-built-the-adrian-smith-9781788313360","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}