Following his book on the origin of control engineering (1800-1930 (see separate entry), the author now traces development through the critical period 1930-1955, widely identified as the period of "classical" control theory. In the 1930s basic automatic control devices were developed and used in process industries, as were servos for the control of aircraft and ships and amplifiers for the telephone system and early computers etc. During the war many disparate ideas were brought together for the development of aircraft tracking and response systems -- leading to classical control theory which dominated the field through the 1950s. The foundations were also being laid for the introduction of what we now term "modern" control theory.Also available:A History of Control Engineering 1930-1955 - ISBN 0863412807Applied Control Theory, 2nd Edition - ISBN 0863410898The Institution of Engineering and Technology is one of the world"s leading professional societies for the engineering and technology community. The IET publishes more than 100 new titles every year; a rich mix of books, journals and magazines with a back catalogue of more than 350 books in 18 different subject areas including: -Power & Energy -Renewable Energy -Radar, Sonar & Navigation -Electromagnetics -Electrical Measurement -History of Technology -Technology Management