Lancaster: The Forging of a Very British Legend by John Nichol

$37.99 NZD

Category: Aviation

'The epic story of an iconic aircraft and the breathtaking courage of those who flew her' Andy McNab, bestselling author of Bravo Two Zero 'Compelling, thrilling and rooted in quite extraordinary human drama' James Holland, author of Normandy 44 From John Nichol, the Sunday Times bestselling author of S pitfire, comes a passionate and profoundly moving tribute to the Lancaster bomber, its heroic crews and the men and women who kept her airborne during the country's greatest hour of need. 'The Avro Lancaster is an aviation icon; revered, romanticised, loved. Without her, and the bravery of those who flew her, the freedom we enjoy today would not exist.' Sir Arthur Harris, the controversial chief of Royal Air Force Bomber Command, described the Lancaster as his 'shining sword' and the 'greatest single factor in winning the war'. RAF bomber squadrons carried out offensive operations from the first day of the Second World War until the very last, more than five and a half years later. They flew nearly 300,000 sorties and dropped around a million tons of explosives, as well as life-saving supplies. Over 10,000 of their aircraft never returned. Of the 7,377 Lancasters built during the conflict, more than half were lost to enemy action or training accidents. The human cost was staggering. Of the 125,000 men who served in Bomber Command, over 55,000 were killed and another 8,400 were wounded. Some 10,000 survived being shot down, only to become prisoners of war. In simple, brutal terms, Harris's aircrew had only a 40 per cent chance of surviving the war unscathed. Former RAF Tornado Navigator, Gulf War veteran and bestselling author John Nichol now tells the inspiring and moving story of this legendary aircraft that took the fight deep into the heart of Nazi Germany. ...Show more

Oscar Garden : An Adventurous Aviator by ANNAMARIA. GARDEN

$45.00 NZD

Category: Aviation

One day in 1930, a man walked into a department store in London and bought an aeroplane. Having just learned to fly, Oscar Garden dreamed of flying to Australia. In his newly purchased aeroplane, he did just that. This adventure and myriad others this risk-taker embarked on are recounted in this book. O scar's love of flying saw him joy riding to many places in the world, including New Zealand, South Africa, and up through Africa to Palestine. While based in London, he joined British Airways and Imperial Airways flying flying boats across the Empire. Finally, he came to rest in Auckland, New Zealand, after delivering the Awarua, the second of New Zealand's flying boats, used during World War II for communication and travel, reducing New Zealand's isolation. He became Chief Pilot of TEAL, the New Zealand airline, for half of the war years and beyond, and eventually resigned due to serious disagreement over management and political agendas. This biography describes Oscar Garden's fascinating journey through these episodes. ...Show more

365 Aircraft You Must Fly - The Most Sublime, Weird, and Outrageous Aircraft from the Past 100+ Years ... How Many Do You Want to Fly? by Robert F. Dorr

$32.99 NZD

Category: Aviation | Series: 365 Ser.

A fascinating plane-by-plane journey through aviation history, this beautifully illustrated book covers 365 of the most iconic aircraft in world history that enthusiasts, serious-minded hobbyists, and casual fans would love to fly if given the chance. Clear photography, historical context, and specs get you as close as possible to these planes without setting foot in a hangar. Aviation has come a long way since the Wright Brothers built their glider in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903. From among the thousands of different types of military and commercial aircraft constructed over the past 100 years, aviation expert Robert F. Dorr profiles the most important, fascinating, and famous aircraft ever made. Your opinions might differ, but you wouldn't want to miss out on the planes Dorr identifies as flights of a lifetime. While covering every era of aviation history, many of the planes in 365 Aircraft You Must Fly were flown during World War II, a time unmatched in aviation for its technological advances, romance, and clarity of purpose. During this golden age of flying, propellers gave way to jet engines, and the "Greatest Generation" fought gallantly in them. Explore the history, thrills, and joy of flying the world's most amazing 365 aircraft. ...Show more

Spitfire - The Biography by Jonathan Glancey

$24.99 NZD

Category: Aviation

The bestselling biography of the Spitfire updated with a new chapter for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

Flight Path Dunedin: A History of Aviation in Otago by Jim Sullivan

$49.99 NZD

Category: Aviation

Did New Zealand aviation begin in Arrowtown in 1869? Did a Dunedin man make New Zealand's first flight in 1910? The story of aviation in Otago throws up some intersting questions and the answers, along with the detailed history of Dunedin's airports at Green Island, Taieri and Momona, provide a fascinat ing story of how we have ambraced flyings as "the way to travel". Published to mark the 50th anniversary of Dunedin Inernational Airport at Momona. ...Show more

How Airliners Fly : A Passenger's Guide by EVANS JULIEN

$39.99 NZD

Category: Aviation

In this revised third edition Julien Evans explains, in straightforward everyday language, about the airframe and the engines, the flight deck and the controls, how the aeroplane is flown and the routines followed. If you are one of the millions of airline passengers who take to the air daily and have n o idea how an airplane flies or how it is flown - but would like to find out - then How Airliners Fly is for you. It is written by an airline pilot who knows from first-hand experience those questions that are asked most frequently. He knows that for many it is an interest born of curiosity, and in some cases, caused by fear. In this revised third edition Julien Evans explains, in straightforward everyday language, about the airframe and the engines, the flight deck and the controls, how the airplane is flown and the routines followed. In fact, it explains everything the average passenger may wish to know. "... balanced, informative, comprehensive, totally accurate and , most importantly, interesting." - Pilot magazine AUTHOR: Julien Evans flew Boeing 737s, 757s and 767s during a 36-year career. He was also an instructor and examiner on these types. Now retired from airline flying, he maintains his interest in aviation generally and flies light aircraft. 56 colour photographs, 10 diagrams ...Show more

Avro Lancaster by Jarrod Cotter; Paul Blackah

$29.99 NZD

Category: Aviation | Series: Haynes Icons Ser.

During the Second World War, RAF Lancaster bombers took the conflict into the very heart of Hitler's Third Reich, and flew some of the most daring operations of the war. Surprisingly, of the 7,377 Lancasters built, only two survive today, one in Britain and one in Canada. Produced with the full coopera tion of the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and illustrated with incredible photographs, Avro Lancaster gives a rare and fascinating insight into how the Lancaster bomber was constructed, flown and operated, together with details of how it is serviced and maintained. ...Show more

Spitfire VC vs A6M2 Zero-Sen: Darwin 1943 by Peter Ingman; Jim Laurier (Illustrator); Gareth Hector (Cover Design by, Illustrator)

$34.99 NZD

Category: Aviation | Series: Duel Ser.

The little-known yet fascinating story of when two of the most iconic aircraft of World War II dueled in the skies above Australia. Fully illustrated with detailed full-color artwork, this is the gripping story of two iconic aircraft facing off against each other above Australia. Just weeks after Pear l Harbor, Darwin was mauled by a massive Japanese attack. Without a single fighter to defend Australian soil, the Australian government made a special appeal to Britain for Spitfires. A year later the Spitfire VC-equipped No 1 Fighter Wing, RAAF, faced the battle-hardened 202nd Kokutai of the IJNAF, equipped with A6M2 Zero-sens, over Darwin. This was a grueling campaign between evenly matched foes, fought in isolation from the main South Pacific battlegrounds. Pilots on either side had significant combat experience, including a number of Battle of Britain veterans. The Spitfire had superior flight characteristics but was hampered by short range and material defects in the tropical conditions, while the Japanese employed better tactics and combat doctrine inflicting serious losses on overconfident the Commonwealth forces. ...Show more

The Story of an Aviator (The Explorer's Library) by Clint Twist

$45.00 NZD

Category: Aviation

My Throne A Cockpit by Owen Williamson

$19.99 NZD

$39.99 (50% off)

Category: Aviation | Reading Level: Near Fine

When your office is the cockpit of a topdressing aeroplane, it's hard not to think of your seat as a throne. As your daily commute takes in the grandeur of the mountains, the beauty of the sunrise and the sight of the world going about its business below, ...

Higher: 100 Years of Boeing by Russ Banham

$75.00 NZD

Category: Aviation

Over the course of a century, the Boeing Company has grown from a small outfit operating out of a converted boathouse—producing a single pontoon plane made from canvas and wood—into the world's largest aerospace company. The thrilling story of the celebrated organization is one filled with ambition, ingenuity and a passion to exceed expectations. In this lavishly illustrated book, published to coincide with Boeing's 100th anniversary, Pulitzer Prize–nominated author Russ Banham recounts the tale of a company and an industry like no other—one that has put men on the moon, defended the free world and changed the way we live. ...Show more

Classic Planes by Ivor Wilkins

$85.00 NZD

$95.00 (10% off)

Category: Aviation

New Zealand has long held a passion for its aviation history - the bravado, ingenuity and trailblazing spirit says a lot about who we are. Classic Planes celebrates that legacy, from the first fledgling beginnings to the present day. With eloquence and colour, bestselling author Ivor Wilkins itraces the story of planes in New Zealand, beginning with the exploits of Richard Pearse and shining a light on other local pioneers, Jean Batten and Tim Wallis among them. He also examines the machines from bygone eras, celebrating those who lovingly restore planes in the modern day, and revels in our ongoing love affair with winged wonders. Tiger moths and taperwings comingle with staggerwings, spitfires, mosquitoes and Mustangs, all figures of our airborne past. In Classic Planes, breathtaking new photography is complemented by archival imagery, revealing a truly special and important celebration of planes and people. As the author notes in his preface- 'love is in the air' . . . ...Show more