Air Trails and Science Frontiers

From The Space Library

Magazine published by Street and Smith of New York, also publishers of the science fiction magazine "Astounding Stories". Air Trails had been around for many years when the editorship was handed over to John W. Campbell Jr, who had been editing Astounding with considerable success. Campbell had been the first to discover Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov and was also responsible for publishing Arthur C. Clarke's second words in print in the United States. In January 1947 Campbell added the subtitle "...and Science Frontiers" to the venerable aviation magazine. In keeping with this decision he recruited such well-known contributors as German rocket pioneer Willy Ley, space artists Chesley Bonestell and Frank Tinsley and even L. Ron Hubbard (writing under a pseudonym).

The experiment to bring space science to what was essentially a magazine for model aircraft enthusiasts only lasted for nine issues. However content included two covers by Bonestell, a notoriously self-aggrandizing article on moon bases by Hubbard in which, writing under the name Capt. B.A. Northorp, he claimed he (Hubbard) had built a rocket better than the V-2. The article was accompanied by excellent but fanciful illustrations by Tinsley. Also included was an excellent two-part summary of Luis Alvarez' work on ground control and approach radar, (the same project Arthur C. Clarke had worked on during the war.) Equally good articles by Willy Ley on rocket test stands and on a White Sands V-2 rocket which went off course and had to be destroyed. A summary of the planets by Dr R. Richardson accompanied by full page colour images provided by Bonestell. Articles by Campbell on the cyclotron and the atomic bomb. A detailed article on the ME-163 with the Walter rocket engine. Photographs taken from high altitude by the V2 launches at White Sands and more.