Messerschmitt Me 262

David Baker has spent most of his working life around aeroplanes and spacecraft. He worked for NASA during Apollo lunar exploration and Shuttle development programmes and was involved with the US Department of Defense on analysis of strategic weapons. He has lectured on the history of air warfare and the political and industrial development of military aviation for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In 1986 David was elected to membership of the prestigious International Academy of Astronautics and in 1998 he won the Rolls-Royce Journalist of the year Award for the best article on propulsion. In 2006 he was awarded the Arthur C. Clarke Space Award. A lifelong student of aviation history, David has specialized in aircraft and their operation in both world wars and has published more than 500 articles and written more than 80 books on all aspects of aeronautics and the space programme. While professionally qualified as a scientist and engineer, David served as editor of Smiths Industries Aerospace Review from 1994 and for seven years was editor of Jane's Aircraft Upgrades and Jane's Space Directory, followed by five years as editor of the monthly magazine Aviation News until early 2011 since when he has focused on consulting work.