'Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines meets Le Mans. Hugely entertaining. And deadly serious' Rowland White, Author of Vulcan 607

It was the greatest international competition of its day - a thrilling, globe-trotting, high speed air racing series that married cutting-edge technology with astonishing skill, bravery and danger.

Duelling at 400 mph just a few feet from sea surface left pilots little margin for error. For over a decade, as aircraft of Great Britain, the United States, France and Italy fought for the prize, the Schneider Trophy represented the pinnacle of aviation development.

A succession of world records fell to machines that combined super-charged brute power with streamlined good looks. With the RAF's Supermarine S6B, legendary aircraft designer R.J Mitchell, honed the genius that produced the Spitfire, while Rolls-Royce advanced the state-of-the-art with a powerful V-12 engine that paved the way for its war-winning masterpiece, the Merlin.