Lake Michigan's Aircraft Carriers is the story of the USS Wolverine and the USS Sable, two Great Lakes excursion ships converted for use as aircraft carrier training during World War II. Through the duration of the war, the United States Navy qualified 17,800 pilots for aircraft carrier operation. Training the pilots on either the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean would have exposed the training ships to the danger of submarine attack, while requiring the escort of fighting ships that were needed elsewhere. It would also have involved arming and armoring the ships used for training. Commander R.F. Whitehead came up with an idea that solved all of these problems. He suggested doing the training on the protected waters of the Great Lakes. The USS Wolverine and the USS Sable were chosen and thus became the only fresh water, paddle-wheeled, coal-fired aircraft carriers in the history of the world. Author Paul M. Somers shares his collection of vintage photos and a lifetime of research to detail the history of these two great vessels-from their life as cruise ships to their contributions to the war effort and then to their eventual scrapping.

Based on course-tested material, this rigorous yet accessible graduate textbook covers both fundamental and advanced optimization theory and algorithms. It covers a wide range of numerical methods and topics, including both gradient-based and gradient-free algorithms, multidisciplinary design optimization, and uncertainty, with instruction on how to determine which algorithm should be used for a given application. It also provides an overview of models and how to prepare them for use with numerical optimization, including derivative computation. Over 400 high-quality visualizations and numerous examples facilitate understanding of the theory, and practical tips address common issues encountered in practical engineering design optimization and how to address them. Numerous end-of-chapter homework problems, progressing in difficulty, help put knowledge into practice. Accompanied online by a solutions manual for instructors and source code for problems, this is ideal for a one- or two-semester graduate course on optimization in aerospace, civil, mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering departments.

Named to honor the memory of Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge, the first fatality of powered flight, Selfridge Field has recorded many aviation milestones since its founding in 1917. As home of the famed First Pursuit Group, the airfield saw the feats of such notables as Charles Lindbergh, Jimmy Doolittle, and Curtis LeMay. Scores of young aviators who passed through Selfridge's gates later achieved the rank of general officer, earning the base the nickname "Home of the Generals." Selfridge Field illustrates the history of the base, with many images drawn from the collections of the Selfridge Military Air Museum and Mount Clemens Public Library. The development of American airpower, from crude biplanes to the supersonic F-16 fighter, is depicted in the photographic record of this historic military airfield.

On June 23, 1950, a DC-4 with 58 souls on board flew from New York toward Minnesota. Minutes after midnight Captain Robert Lind requested a lower altitude as he began crossing the lake, but Air Traffic Control could not comply. That was the last communication with Northwest Airlines Flight 2501. The Navy and Coast Guard never located the wreck, rendering it impossible to determine a cause for this tragic accident.