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Earthrise: How Man First Saw the Earth (review)

273 ceiling in the court of King D. João V of Portugal on 5 August 1709. Gusmão’s triumph is well-documented, but in recounting Latin America’s aeronautical achievements, Hagedorn cautions “exuberance, heat, and patriotic passions . . . sometimes gained the cachet of fact” (p. 5).Wisely, he is careful to give specific dates and, where appropriate, inform the reader about the limitations of the record when seeking to make determinations of the region’s aeronautical history. During the early years of manned flight, Latin Americans looked to Europe for inspiration, support, and training. A number of regional aviators served on both sides during World War I. As a consequence of the war, though, aviation influence shifted from Europe to the United States. Wartime restrictions and the reliance on foreign nations, Hagedorn observes, gave rise to a push for “indigenous solutions” (p. 94). In 1917 Mexico designed “the Series A two-place biplane, built in considerable numbers” (p. 113). Although the progression has been tenuous at times, successful modern examples of indigenous aircraft programs include Argentina’s IA-58 Pucará twin-turboprop attack aircraft and Brazil’s Embraer Brasilia. The core of Conquistadors of the Sky spans the interwar period, World War II, and its aftermath. A long chapter, “Airlines, Air Wars, and Foreign Missions,” references country-specific developments year by year between the wars. In detailing World War II and the postwar years, Hagedorn highlights U.S. defense aid and Lend-Lease programs. These bolstered the region’s war effort (except for Argentina, which favored the Axis) and subsequently served to foster military and commercial affairs during the postwar period. Hagedorn concludes with an examination of narco-trafficking, underscoring the point that aviation had its underside. More of a reference work than a monograph, Conquistadors of the Sky brings clarity and insight to a complex subject.