John Malcolm Brown

Planes That Changed History - Lockheed A-12 Cygnus John Malcolm Brown

The Lockheed A-12 Cygnus is the mysterious older "cousin" of the Lockheed SR-71. It is not as well-known as the SR-71. Yet the A-12 flew higher and faster than its close relative. Both planes were spectacular. And both are fascinating subjects for young readers. This book is intended for younger audiences who would enjoy sinking their teeth into something with more plane-specific detail than a basic picture book of a general nature about airplanes. It is 20 pages in length and each page carries text and a photo. The A-12 is a highly complex plane. Maybe that's why it fascinates aviation enthusiasts. However, some of the plane's features can be difficult to understand. This book treats the technical aspects of the plane in a manner that young readers would understand and enjoy. The book covers features of the A-12 such as its extraordinarily powerful J58 engines. It discusses the operation of the inlet spikes at the front of each engine casing. The book doesn't delve into the complex physics of maintaining shock waves in the engine inlets and how that enabled the engine to operate as both a turbojet and a ram jet. That subject is complex for many young readers. But on a very easy-to-follow level, it touches upon the features of the plane that young readers would enjoy learning about. The A-12 had to deal with so many technical problems, and it tackled all of them in such ingenious and fascinating ways. The plane was constructed of titanium and other materials, including asbestos. This was to withstand the temperatures generated by flying at three times the speed of sound. The A-12 is indeed a marvel of engineering. This book presents the plane's features to young readers in a way that could spark their interest in science and technology, but without losing them in excessive engineering theory.