Pioneer aviation: Hellmuth Hirth book translation

[Mudflap Aviation]

Greetings, all,



I have completed and self-published the translation of Hellmuth Hirth's 1915 autobiographical account of his (rather crazy) experiences as a pioneer aviator, and there are a number of copies here in the States which can be sent out from there. The rest are at home in Germany. The book's original title is 20,000 Kilometer im Luftmeer. The English title is 20,000 Leagues in the Sea of Air. The idea for the translation came as a result of meeting Stefan Blumenthal, who is the grand-nephew of Hellmuth Hirth, and became a rich source of mentoring and information, as well as Hellmut Hirth, son of Wolf Hirth, Hellmuth's brother. They are members of the Fliegende Museum Stuttgart, of which I'm a supporting memeber. Anyone interested, write me at Shirley @ mudflap-aviation.com and I'll have a copy sent out. If you are anywhere else in the world and would like to distribute some copies to folk in your country, let's do that.

Viele Grüße,
Shirley Girard

I even got a book review from Nick Newton, president of the Vintage Glider Club. (added here with permission):

Book Review from Sailplane & Gliding Dec 2019/Jan 2020

20,000 Leagues in the Sea of Air, by Hellmuth Hirth
(ISBN 978-3-00-060431-7)

This book provides a fascinating window onto the early days of powered flight in Germany from 1909 to 1914. Published originally in German in 1915, the book has finally been translated into English by Shirley Girard.

Hellmuth Hirth was the elder brother of the famous gliding pioneer and designer of the 1930s, Wolf Hirth. Born in 1886, Hirth begins his book by describing a childhood obsessed with motors and motorised transport. Fast becoming an experienced engineer, he soon became obsessed with aviation as a young adult.

Hirth’s own early attempts to learn to fly by himself were not very encouraging. So at 23 he decided to join the factory of Etrich in Austria making the famous Tauber monoplane, and obtain a proper pilot training.

After his first two flights with an instructor in the two-seater Tauber lasting a total of 14 minutes, Hirth was sent off on his first solo hop. After three more solo flights his instructor announced that he could now fly cross-country!

Having learned to fly – it was not long before Hirth became a flying instructor, and it is this extensive and detailed account of his experiences in teaching others to fly, combining practical ideas of the time with words of wisdom, that will most appeal to glider pilots.

The remainder of the book comprises riveting descriptions of flying in various Rallies conducted to promote flying to the general public of that time. Flying sometimes in impossible conditions, with strong winds, torrential rain, clouds, fog and often at night, unsurprisingly lead to many prangs and occasionally serious crashes. Open cockpits, fragile airframes, underpowered engines, lack of navigational aids or blind flying instruments and near impossible landings make for vivid stories of unbelievable daring.

In summary, this book provides a wonderful first-hand insight into the world of pioneer aviation before the First World War. Containing hundreds of black & white photographic vignettes interspersed within the text, it is a gem that will appeal to anyone with an interest in detailed adventures of early flight.

Nick Newton