Book features oddball contraptions and their eccentric designers, as well as the big companies whose aircraft have become household names. So, along with big organizations like Grumman, Messerschmitt, Supermarine and Sikorsky, are the enthusiasts who built a single machine in their backyard or, like V.B. Shavrov, in their tiny one-bedroom apartment!

Each entry indicates the nationality of the company or individual concerned; while it may not come as much of a surprise to see the USA, France, the UK and Germany heading the league table of countries with the most manufacturers, readers may be interested to discover Brazil with 35, South Korea with eight - and the Channel Islands and Luxembourg with one entry apiece.