PRESS RELEASE/SYNOPSIS:
“Flying is, indeed, a magnificent sport; how a man can become tired of it quickly, or regard it as too dangerous to proceed with, I cannot understand.” -- Cecil S. Grace
On December 22, 1910, Cecil S. Grace disappeared over the North Sea after a failed attempt to win the coveted Baron de Forest prize for the longest flight from England to The Continent across the English Channel in an English-built machine. The disappearance of this plucky young aviator -- who amazed spectators at flying competitions and exhibitions since taking up an interest in flying just one year earlier -- remains an enduring mystery to this day. Did he lose his way in the haze or get blown off course by an errant crosswind during his ill-fated flight back to Dover? Did he succumb to spatial disorientation and plummet into a graveyard spiral? Was a faulty compass to blame?
The Last Flight of Cecil Grace: 100th Anniversary is the fascinating story of Grace’s brief yet influential aviation career, relayed through a compelling compilation of press clippings and book excerpts that detail the events leading up to his final flight, as well as the subsequent search missions and aftermath of his disappearance (the wreckage of Grace’s plane was eventually found, as were his aviator cap and goggles -- but his body was never definitively recovered).
Grace’s daring flights during aviation’s perilous infancy captivated the world with headlines in major newspapers worldwide. Grace was never satisfied with convention, working with untested British-engineered biplanes by the Short Brothers and constantly collaborating with engineers to build a better plane, as well as experimenting with French-built monoplanes and the latest aeroplanes of the Wright Brothers. Putting his life on the line to experiment with as-of-yet untested principles of flight, Grace’s competition against other aviation innovators as they vied to break altitude, speed, and duration records became the stuff of aeronautical legends. His earliest trials include a litany of near-death experiences and smashed aircraft from malfunctioning equipment and adverse weather conditions. Although the majority of these competitions took place on the Continent, Grace’s exploits were followed with particular interest in the States: The Chilean-born aviator’s parents were American citizens (he was also naturalized as a British citizen), and he was the nephew of late New York City Mayor William R. Grace.
In addition to the authentic clippings and book excerpts, this beautiful 11x11 volume includes more than 60 complementary photographs that offer the reader spectacular visuals of Grace’s life in the skies, as well as interviews with Grace himself to offer insight into his own perspective on flying and the future of the aviation industry. The Last Flight of Cecil Grace: 100th Anniversary remains a must-read for aviation history buffs and adventurers who revere the pioneering spirit that exemplified our early transportation trailblazers.
