History of Aviation Magazines

WZ: Own Writings:

The Aeroplane started by C.G. Grey in June 1911 to compete with Flight, its earlier
established rival.
The Aeroplane ceased publication in October 1968 and was incorporated into Flight.
From: http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/PlaneCrazyHeritage/One/History/history.htm,
accessed 13 April 05 by WZ.
Following intensive research I have discovered its previous publications in other names and
forms, dating back to 1925 !!. My research reveals that the story begins with the "AIR
LEAGUE BULLETIN" of February 1925, and a further issue in April 1926. In 1927 The Aerial
League of the British Empire published its own in house journal called "AIR".
The first issue appeared in December that year, this was amalgamated in May 1931 with
"AIRWAYS" to become "AIR & AIRWAYS". This ran until 1934 when it became "AIR
REVIEW", and that continued until 1939 and probably ran into 1940.
Following the formation of the Air Defence Cadet Corps in 1938, a new publication appeared
in the form of a 16 page "Octavo size booklet". Known as The Air Defence Cadet Corps
Gazette, their own in house journal,
Vol.1/No1 first appearing in June 1938. This changed format slightly in 1939 taking on more of
a magazine appearance.
Only a thousand copies were issued, these being distributed free to the squadrons of the day.
The contents consisted entirely of official notices.

The Royal Aeronautical Society holds many aviation magazines.

From: http://www.raes.org.uk/raes/library.asp?sessid=, accessed 13 April 05, by WZ:
Apart from complete bound holdings of Flight International (formerlyFlight), Aviation Week and
Space Technology (formerly Aviation), Aircraft Engineering , The Aeroplane and Sailplane and
Gliding (and its earlier predecessor Sailplane and Glider), the Library holds extensive bound
runs of many other important journal titles including L'Aerophile, Junkers Nachrichten, Bulletin
Fokker, L'Air, L'Avion, Aerea, Aeronautique, L'Ala, d'Italia, Flugsport as well as other important
British journals such as Aero, Imperial Airways Gazette/Weekly News Bulletin, Air (published
by the Aerial League of the British Empire), Handley Page Bulletin, de Havilland Gazette,
Aeronautics, Aircraft Productions, and the pre-WW2 Popular Flying and Flying (both edited by
W.E. Johns, author of the Biggles stories), among many other titles. In recent years, partly
financed by donations to the Library's 'Adopt-a-Book' programme, a number of the previously
unbound older journal titles have been bound for conversation.
All enquiries regarding the Society's Library should be addressed to:
Brian Riddle,
Librarian,
Royal Aeronautical Society,
4 Hamilton Place,
London,
W1J 7BQ.
UK.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7670 4362.
Fax: +44 (0)20 7670 4359.
e-mail: brian.riddle@raes.org.uk