This is the extraordinary and little known story of Qantas' significant role during World War II, particularly in its campaigns against the Japanese.Between 1942 and 1943, Qantas lost eight aircraft during its involvement in Australia's war against the Japanese. Over sixty passengers and crew died as a result. Yet Qantas' exemplary contribution to Australia's war effort and the courage of its people in those difficult times has been forgotten.Courage in...

Heroic, hilarious and sometimes just plain weird . . . Jim Eames shares great Qantas stories from World War II to the age of the jumbo and beyond.**'These are stories of passion and dedication, of risk and resilience, of excellence and Australian larrikinism, of inventiveness and determination.' Captain Richard Champion de Crespigny on The Flying Kangaroo'Jim Eames captures the experiences of a small band of brave, professional and pioneeri...

Brings to full and rich life the extraordinary characters, events and challenges that have made Qantas an Australian icon.From its earliest days, Qantas has attracted its fair share of unusual challenges and unique characters. These are the stories of a great airline and the people who made it, told by a man who has Qantas blood running through his veins. They are hilarious, nostalgic, heroic and sometimes even odd.They are about the brilliant risk takers w...

The world's most iconic commercial aircraft, the Boeing 747, and its Australian story.'We have decided we must have the 747.' - Bert Ritchie, Qantas Chief Executive, 1967From its first Qantas flight in 1971, the Boeing 747 flew millions of people to Australia, overseas for work, back to their homelands, on holiday and out of danger. For most Australians, the 747 was their first experience of international travel. And now, history's most ico...

So how do you test drive a Jumbo? And why did a future civil aviation director once taxi a plane down Perth's main street to attend a ball?From the ridiculous to the downright dangerous, the story of Australian aviation is full of tales of adventure and nation building. It is also a story about tragedy and eccentric characters with wild larrikin spirits.In this surprising, fascinating and sometimes very funny collection, Jim Eames brings together the great forgotten and unt...

Yarns and memories that capture the experience of policing in the bush, gathered by the inimitable Bill 'Swampy' Marsh, bestselling author of GREAT AUSTRALIAN FLYING DOCTOR STORIES and GREAT AUSTRALIAN CWA STORIES.'I tell you, you meet some strange characters in this game ...'Boasting the biggest beats in the world -- some as large as France -- Australia's outback police have seen it all: natural disasters, incredible acts of selflessness, unspeakable crimes and daring resc...

For the first time, Bill Marsh's terrific collection of outback yarns centred on the Royal Flying Doctor Service are available in one bumper volume.the Royal Flying Doctor Service is a unique icon of Australian culture. Since its beginnings with the Reverend John Flynn in 1928, the RFDS has helped build our nation. the Flying Doctors, and the remote stations and communities that they serve, have become enduring symbols of what it means to be Australian. the Complete Book of Australi...

A captivating true story that will speak to generations of Australians, from the author of Mezza Italiana.'Nonno Anni gives me a nudge. "You know, when I first came to Australia, I knew that my life would change forever."'Leaving the small village of Fossa in Italy in 1939 to meet a father he barely remembered in a place that was far from everything he knew, fifteen-year-old Annibale Boccabella arrived in Australia determined to make a go of it. It was a ti...

The truly classic Australian story of Tom Kruse - legendary mailman of the Birdsville Track.For the people who lived in the desert between Marree and Birdsville, contact with the outside world was hard and sporadic - but one man was their lifeline: Tom Kruse. For more than twenty years he was the connection with the outside world for the families, station workers and others who lived along the Birdsville Track.Tom delivered everything from the mail and news...

Emergency is a collection of true stories about events where disaster seems imminent. Yet each situation is concluded without loss of life thanks to the skill of the pilots and their crews, whose bravery and resourcefulness have earned them well-deserved commendations. Written by a British Airways First Officer, Stanley Stewart, who has spoken at first hand with the pilots and crews involved in all the incidents recorded here, the book offers a unique insight into what really happened: not...

Since its first flight on 27 April 2005, the Airbus A380 has been the largest passenger airliner in the world. Instantly recognizable with its full-length upper deck, it represents the pinnacle of modern airliner design.

'****[A] haunting family mystery' Sunday Times'A riveting, deeply atmospheric read' Mail on Sunday**'Just as good - perhaps even better - than Harper's excellent thrillers The Dry and Force of Nature' ObserverHe had started to remove his clothes as logic had deserted him, and his skin was cracked. Whatever had been going through Cameron's mind when he was ali...