Scotland’s Wings: Triumph and tragedy in the skies

Long before airliners crossed the Atlantic and American stealth bombers secretly flew into the NATO airbase at Machrihanish, pioneers of aviation were at work in the unlikely surroundings of Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow’s West End. And in many parts of Scotland, from great industrial cities to remote islands, pioneer aviators played a more significant role in the history of flight than is often acknowledged.Scotland’s Wings is filled with fascinating insights into Scottish aviation and the people who made it possible, like Percy Pilcher who built ‘The Hawk’ glider in 1896 and very nearly became the first man to invent a machine capable of sustained flight. From the construction of the most northerly airship station in mainland Britain, the RNAS LONGSIDE, to the experience of Scottish civilians and pilots during the Clydebank Blitz of 1941, this account is a glimpse into thrilling, dramatic and sometimes controversial adventures in Scottish aeronautics.