The physics of rockets. Triple offprint with special mimeographed table of contents.
Publisher Information: 1947. Seifert, Howard S.; Mills, Mark M. (1917-58) and Summerfield, Martin. The physics of rockets [pt. 2: Physics of rockets: Liquid-propellant rockets; pt. 3: Physics of rockets: Dynamics of long-range rockets]. 3 offprints from Am. J. Physics 15, no. 1 (Jan.-Feb. 1947); no. 2 (Mar.-Apr. 1947); no. 3 (May June 1947). 1-21; 121-140; 255-272pp., plus reproduced typescript table of contents to all three parts inserted in part 1. Text illustrations. 267 x 199 mm. Original printed wrappers. Offprints stapled together. Fine copies. From the library of Theodore von Karman (1881-1963), with his characteristic docketing on the first offprint's front wrapper. Book Id: 38705 First Separate Editions. The first theoretical study of rocketry published in the United States after World War II, written by three members of Cal Tech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The three-part paper, published two years after the end of the war, reflects the advances in rocket science made available to the United States after the collapse of Nazi Germany, which during the war had developed the first long-range guided rockets (the V-1 and V-2) and used them as weapons in the last months of the conflict. The paper also discusses the work on liquid- and solid-propellant rocket systems done at Cal Tech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory under the guidance of the lab's director, Theodore von Karman. Topics covered here include the dynamics of rocket jets, the theory of solid-propellant operation, fundamental of liquid-propellant rocket motors, sounding rockets and escape from the earth, and rockets utilizing nuclear energy. This set of offprints is from the library of Theodore von Karman, who in addition to directing the JPL at Cal Tech was also the founder of the Aerojet Engineering Corporation, one of the industrial giants of the jet age. "At Caltech, Karman and his students laid the foundations for aerodynamic design leading to supersonic flight" (DSB). Ley, Rockets, Missiles and Space Travel (1951), p. 415.
Price: $1,750.00