John Richards

This detailed history examines the development of the airship, from the pre-First World War dirigibles up to date. Covering the airship in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and the US, author John Richards has delved into every aspect of the airship. The book ranges from the first fully controlled powered flight and the flight around the Eiffel Tower, the failed attempts to cross the Atlantic and the first London-Paris flight, to the many uses of the airship in times of war, including anti-submarine campaigns, convoy escorts and patrols. Between the wars Arctic expeditions were undertaken and events included a successful Atlantic crossing, Graf Zeppelin's 21-day round-the-world flight, a service to South America and the launch of the Hindenburg. The Second World War and a discussion of the airship's functions in the more modern world round off a fascinating and definitive guide to the airship.

Cardiff has a long and momentous maritime history. This richly researched volume delves into the maritime past of Cardiff and Penarth, providing a comprehensive account from the first stirrings of seaborne trade and the cargoes of wool, hides and butter, to the ever-present threat of piracy, and from the rapid development linked to the export of iron and the later trade in coal, to the changes wrought by the effects of the two world wars, and the developments in types of vessels over the years. This beautifully illustrated history will appeal to local historians and shipping enthusiasts around the world. John Richards has an MA from Cambridge and a Ph. D. from the University of Wales. He has previously written two books: Wales on the Western Front for University of Wales Press, and a history of Cotrell Park, Vale of Glamorgan.