Lion Annual 1955 and 1956

The 1955 Lion Annual doesn't have any space flight content but still has a nice cover

The 1956 Lion Annual has a nice two page illustrated spread on "Wonders of Outer Space" we will find:

Lion Annual 1954

For a change of pace I am sharing some Lion Annuals over the next few posts. These were annual publications with a mixture of stories, comics, and factual articles.  I have picked some up because they will occasionally have a non-fiction article about space flight and some space flight illustrations.  They are mostly fiction but they have striking covers.

Lion Annual 1954. London: Fleetwood House. 143 p.

Artificial Satellites of the Earth (1958)

 Iskusstvennye sputniki. by Ario Abramovich Shternfelʹd Moskva, Gos. izd-vo tekhniko-teoret. lit-vy, (296 p.) 1958. First ed. published in 1956 under title: Iskusstvennye sputniki Zemli.

With no ability to translate I still wanted to share some of the great illustrations in this book.

Fig. V. Multistage orbital rocket (project by Gotland, Kunesch & Dixon)

Fig. VI Top stage of previous rocket, to serve as artificial satellite

Fig XI Satellite, base of interplanetary rockets, rotates to generate gravity (A Shterifeld, drawing by N. Kolchitskij)

Fig XII Another possible crewed satellite. Int eh center section there's no gravity, in the rotating segment there's gravity. (A. Shterifeld, drawing by V. Vorontsov)

Fig. XIII interplanetary station (Braun)
 I think this is a Fred Freeman painting from Colliers

Fig XIV Artificial satellite (Erik?)

 I like this Russian version of construction a space station.

Fig XV various phases of the construction, (project by Romick)

 Fig. 42 method for determining the vertical detecting the blocking of cosmic rays by earth.

These diagrams are both beautiful and informative about creating satellite coverage with stationary satellites.

 Maybe someone can send me an explanation what this is. Even with a diagram I am not sure if it is a space station, telescope, or something else.

Fig XXX Artificial satellite by Oberth

Fig XXXI Automatic rocket orbiting earth loading fuel before dearting to Moon (Clark?)

Fig XXXII A spaceship parting from satellite (A. Shterifeld, drawing by N. Kolchitskij)

Fig XXXIII Launch of orbital rocket (drawing by N. Kolchitskij)

Fig XXXIV, Fig XXXV and Fig XXXVI are different stages in the assembly of a Interplanetary Station (A. Shterifeld, drawing by N. Kolchitskij)

 These last few paintings are dated 1957 so they are new to this printing. Too bad they are not in color.

Living Tale (1973)

Living Tale. USSR. 17 cm. 12 p. 1973

A softcover fictional children's book about experiencing adventures in different vehicles.

 Flying a plane

 A snow mobile in the Antarctic

 Exploring the Moon in a moon probe,

 Looking out into space for adventures to come.

 I also like the end papers as he races the satellites.