True Stories of Aircraft and Passengers Who Disappeared Into Thin AirFor many, aviation still brings with it an air of mystery, a century-long magic trick. Though most of us will board an aircraft at some point in our lives, we know little about how they work and the procedures surrounding their operation. It is that mystery that makes these losses, such as the vanishing of Malaysia Airlines … vanishing of Malaysia Airlines flight 370, so terrifying.
Without a Trace explores the most interesting of these disappearances: mysteries that have baffled investigators for years. Occasionally tragic, frequently amusing, Without a Trace is unerringly accurate and informative.
The two Without a Trace volumes span 150 years and explore mysteries from around the world. This is volume one, beginning just before the golden age of aviation with a manned balloon swept over the English Channel, and ending with a top-secret spy plane disappearing at the height of the cold war. Each case is laid out in rich detail and presented chronologically, highlighting the historical context, official accident reports and contemporary news surrounding each mystery.
Where did they go?
Sylvia Wrigley introduces the crews, innocent bystanders and rescuers in this collection of true stories. Documenting the popular theories from each case, she uses her knowledge and experience as a pilot and an aviation journalist to demystify aviation jargon and narrow down each disappearance to the most likely explanations.
This collection takes a hard look at the human failings of great aviators, explorers and celebrities who have pushed the limits of flight and ended up at the heart of a mystery. The stories encompass airships, military jets and commercial airlines – all of which have vanished without a trace.
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I’ve always been fascinated by the sudden and unexplained airplane and ship disappearances. This book focuses on aviation disappearances. Well-researched with a variety of possible explanations, this book presents an interesting compilation of some of the more perplexing disappearances that defied explanation, despite extensive investigation. Cover-up? Aliens? Or just a perfect storm of being in the wrong place at the wrong time? The author offers many details and theories but it often is just too many facts. Detail-oriented people and aviation professionals and enthusiasts will love this book.
This is a chilling book because what happens is true.
What is sad is what happened to these missing planes, people and in some cases the cover up(s) will never be revealed.
The author has collected records from a number of major aircraft disappearances for about 80 years. These episodes are the most newsworthy of their times but this book should not be construed as a compete history of plane disappearances. It is well-written, documented and easy to read. It will appeal to those interested in aviation history.
A quick read covering incidents of aircraft gone missing. Several of these I was not aware of which is probably the best feature of this book for me. Concise and informative with offerings of the most plausible theories. No alien abductions or time vortices are offered as explanations so if you like that kind of thing you probably won’t want to read this book. I think it’s well worth the price and I plan to buy the next book in the series.
The book was interesting, although you had to get through some technical details that, for me at least, were not necessary. It is amazing how many planes and people have just disappeared
Very interesting….
Liked this book so much that I also ordered and read the second volume.
Interesting even if the stories had to be truncated to include the time span of missing aircraft.
I love reading about history and this book was very informative, yet sad, because of the loss of lives. I learned a lot about pilots and airplanes.. Such a tragedy for so many disappearances.
I like mysteries and this book has plenty of them. The difference between this book and your normal mysteries is that this book leaves you puzzling all the information trying to solve the unsolvable. Great compilation of true mysteries!
If you are a fan of aviation history and difficult-to-explain strange occurances, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. I look forward to reading book 2 in the series.
This is not an interesting book to read. It did not hold my attention. I read a few of the chapters and did not finish the book. Skip this book. Sorry I spent time and money on it. I do not recommend this book.
I had never heard of Chesty until reading this book. What a man, a hero, a leader, an inspiration.
I enjoyed this book, especially after it got into more modern disappearances. I love mysteries.
Sylvia Wrigley gives the reader several case histories of mysterious aviation disappearances. Her research is very thorough and thought-provoking, showing all of the possible causes in each case and giving the reader some idea as to the fate of the aircrews involved.
Couldn’t put it down, each incident was very interesting.
Lots of facts about missing planes and pilots that makes you wonder what really happened to them. Love that it starts with the earliest events and moves forward to the present.
I’ve always been an airplane nut– so to read about these disappearances — pretty fullfilling. Keeps you wondering.
weird happenings