RAAF Catalina Squadrons First and Furthest Recounting the Operations of RAAF Catalinas May 1941 to March 1943
Murwillumbah, Australia: Privately printed, 1992. Quarto, stapled illustrated printed wrappers, [viii], 58 pp., black-and-white photograph on inside of front cover, black-and-white map on inside of back cover, frontispiece, 12 double-sided plates illustrated with black-and-white photographs included, illustrated with maps throughout, six logbook sheets included. Slightly rubbed on spine, slight foxing on front cover and title page, lettering of RAAF on cover has been coloured in with blue pen; otherwise a near-fine copy. Revised edition. An account of the action seen by Catalinas in the Second World War, and the crews that flew them. Originally designed for ocean reconnaissance, Catalinas were used by Australia for its very Long Range Strike and Minelaying Force throughout the war. The cramped conditions and the endurance of the aircraft (up to twenty-four hours flight time) made missions all the more difficult, as recounted in detail here by Catalina Flight Engineer Jack Riddell. Item #4427
The title page is inscribed by the author: "With Best Wishes to John Swanson, Jack Riddell 10.9.93"
Price (AUD): $60.00