Published in 2005 "Les Voitures Volantes: Souvenirs d'un Futur Reve", or, when the title is translated into English - "Flying cars: Memories of a Dreamt Future" by Patrick Gyger is a magnificent collection of reports and pictures of flying cars, real and imaginary.

Says the author -

"The book focuses on flying cars (obviously), 'roadable airplanes' and other forms of hybrid personal transportation vehicles in fact and fiction. The purpose of the book is not only to present a history of this idea of 'an airplane in every garage' but also to show how science-fiction and its iconography are shaping our visions. It also presents us with 'the future we were promised' with all the marvels our fathers thought the 21st century would hold."

"The publication has mostly an historical perspective on the topic: It starts more or less at the beginning of the 20th century and mentions a few recent flying cars projects from Paul Moller, NASA, etc. But the whole tone is, I hope, one of some kind of Nostalgia of the Future".

At the time of publication the book was available only in French at www.ailleurs.ch/publi2_fr.htm but that website has since been discontinued. However here are two samples from its pages.

The first is the "RocAtomic" attributed to General Motors. The picture is from the cover of the Sciences and Techniques For You" Magazine of 14 December 1947. "Powered by atomic energy this vehicle has no wheels and floats a few centimeters above the road". For an enlarged picture click on the image.

The second example from the book is the roadable aircraft of Rene Tampier, successfully flown in November of 1921. It was a bi-plane when aloft. Its wings were folded along the sides of the vehicle when the machine was converted into the road-travel configuration. For details click on the image.