God Gave Them Wings : Aviation Books Ltd. : 9781915335081 : 30 Aug 2022 : 'If God meant men to fly, He would have given them wings.' 'A fascinating volume on an unusual subject.' - Aeroplane. 'A unique work.' - Flypast. 'The start of an important series and we look forward to subsequent volumes.' - Air Britain Aviation World. Manned aviation started in Britain in 1784, when James Tytler took to the skies above Edinburgh in a balloon. Tragically, the first fatal accident took place only a couple of years later, when 22-year-old Ralph Heron fell from an ascending balloon as he helped to launch it. By the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, balloons had largely become eclipsed by powered aeroplanes, more complex and capable of greater speeds and altitude. The machines were flown by brave and determined pilots who pushed the boundaries of the fledgling science of aeronautics, with an inevitable price exacted. As the toll mounted, another science was developed, that of air accident