Military Aviation

Flight of the Forgotten is the true story of one of the most closely-guarded American military secrets of all time. It is intriguing, controversial, and thought-provoking. The story traverses 50 years, two generations, and the realities of our physical world. The triggering event is the tragic loss of an American Eighth Air Force bomber crew in 1945 under mysterious circumstances while enroute home after the end of World War II. The loss represents a 50-year-old aviation mystery, officially "forgotten" by the United States Government.

Starting at the very bottom of the ranks, SAS Original Reg Seekings was a farm labourer's son who climbed from private to squadron sergeant-major and became one of the British Army's most highly decorated non-commissioned officers of the Second World War. In short, Seekings was an ordinary man who did extraordinary things. His is a remarkable story–one of fierce ambition, camaraderie, inner strength and heroism as he transcended humble beginnings in the Fen fields of Cambridgeshire. And he was there from the very first day of the SAS, which was born in the late summer of 1941.

On the night of July 4, 1943, transport aircraft Liberator AL523 took off from Gibraltar's North Front tarmac and within moments crashed into the sea with only one survivor, the pilot. The commander-in-chief of the Polish army and prime minister of the Polish government-in-exile, General Wladyslaw Sikorski, was dead. Rumors as to the cause of the crash abounded. Was it pilot error? Was it, as officially classified, merely an accident, or was it, as the authors conclude in this riveting and meticulous study, an act of sabotage?

Great Australian Aviation Stories is a collection of dramatic true stories and colourful accounts of our fascinating aviation history. These stories also show the "human" side of aviation...how it changed the lives of ordinary people, workers, and travellers. Included are amazing stories of history-making flights by Kingsford Smith and Ross and Keith Smith, and accounts of the exploits of Bert Hinkler, Amy Johnson, Nancy Bird, and our early outback aviation pioneers.

The Birth of British Airpower describes how Hugh Trenchard, a man with few leadership skills, became a much-loved and inspirational commander who laid the foundation for British airpower on the Western Front in World War I and created the preconditions for the establishment of the world's first independent air service, the Royal Air Force. Author Peter Dye explores how friendship can overcome significant personal and character deficiencies and how, by assembling the right senior leadership team, Trenchard achieved greatness.

Announced in 1912, the Schneider Trophy was a series of glamorous air contests, popularly known as races, that captivated both sides of the Atlantic. While there were many other aviation competitions, the Schneider proved to be, after a rocky start, by far the most memorable attracting a hugely popular and glamorous following whether Trophy races were held in Monaco, the Venice Lido, the Solent or Chesapeake Bay.

When a girl is kidnapped, Colt has one path: Get her back. Talia "Colt" Levin never expected a routine flight to turn into a high-stakes rescue mission. But when a scared little girl leaves behind a teddy bear—and her supposed father vanishes without a word—Colt's instincts scream that something is wrong. What starts as a gut feeling quickly escalates into a dangerous game of cat and mouse at a quiet airport, where a group of criminals have far bigger plans than just one kidnapped child. With time running out and no backup in sight, Colt will have to rely on her skills, her wits, and a ...

Lieutenant Desmond L.S. Arthur was an Irish aviator in No.2 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. In the early morning of Tuesday, 27th of May, 1913...while flying over the Scottish North-East coastal town of Montrose, during a routine training flight from Upper Dysart to Lunan Bay, the right wing of his B.E.2 biplane No.205 suddenly collapsed due to a broken spar, which had hitherto remained unseen...as it had been concealed under the plane’s fabric...possibly on purpose. Lt. Arthur was the first Irishman to be killed in an aircraft accident.