The War in the Air

The War in the Air, an H. G. Wells novel notable for its prophetic ideas, images, and concepts, in this case, the use of the aircraft in warfare during World War I. The novel's hero is Bert Smallways, a "forward-thinking young man" and a "kind of bicycle engineer of the let's-'ave-a-look-at-it and enamel-chipping variety." Immediately after the Wright Brothers's first successful flight in 1903, the world's major powers became aware of the decisive strategic importance of air power, and embarked on a secret arms race to develop this power. The general public is virtually unaware of this arms race, until it finally bursts out in a vastly destructive war which destroys civilization.