Australia's Aviation Heroes: True stories from our airmen at war

From the author of bestselling Sisters in Captivity, seven remarkable stories of men who served from WWI to Korea – their wartime exploits and achievements through aviation. Based on personal interviews conducted by the author over many years, Australia’s Aviation Heroes celebrates the achievements of extraordinary men in extraordinary times.

Meet Jack Treacy, the WWI fighter pilot who came perilously close to joining the Red Baron in his grave. Relive the story of Ernie Guest, a man determined to fly against all odds after storming into battle on the bloody shores of Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, on 25 April 1915. George Allan, the Scottish-born pilot who survived that same war, went on to become one of the great pioneers in Australian aviation history.

Then there is the harrowing tale of Joe Herman, the bomber pilot blown out of his doomed aircraft over war-torn Europe without a parachute – who lived to tell his story. We get to know Clive Caldwell, Australia’s greatest WWII fighter pilot, as well as Don Bennett, the Queenslander who developed and led Bomber Command’s legendary Pathfinder Force. During the Korean War, Phillip Zupp was the first Australian to be recommended for a Purple Heart.

These are the captivating stories of men who answered the call during desperate times, willingly taking to the dangerous skies.

© 2025 Simon & Schuster Australia (Audiobook): 9781761632518

Release date

Audiobook: July 1, 2025