Flying and Other Stories from the Old and Bold

About the Book

This book is not about flying only, it includes little known stories about some amazing characters—including the Earl of Bandon (senior RAF officer), Tony Svensson (well-known test pilot), and Ginger Lacey (WWII fighter ace)—all of whom were personally known to John Daly. John reminisces on his experiences of flying multiple types of aircraft with the Royal Air Force in the 1950s and 1960s, first as a fighter pilot on the front line of defence in Germany in the Cold War and subsequently on photo reconnaissance duties in the Middle East and Africa. Of the four other authors, Angus Cameron provides some descriptions of war-time bomber operations against Germany, and Graham Neil recalls two occasions when he closely avoided sudden death. Jim Flemming’s tale of a “dead stick” landing from 70,000 feet in USA gives one palpitations, and Peter Larard’s firsthand observations on flying operations in Vietnam are most penetrating. It has a wealth of humour to match the characters who appear in these pages. All aircrew will find this book informative, and everyone will find it interesting and entertaining. Any profits from the sale of this book will be passed to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.

About the Author

John Daly was an experienced day fighter pilot in the RAF in the 1950s and transferred to photo reconnaissance duties in the 1960s. Later he joined the RAAF and served four years at the fighter base at Williamtown, NSW. He writes engagingly not just about flying many different aircraft and his interesting experiences in the UK, Germany, Cyprus, the Middle East, and Africa but also about the fascinating characters he came across in his career. He has called upon some of his great friends from his Australian times to provide their stories, and a wonderful mixture they are too. Angus Cameron writes of his terrifying tour on bomber operations in WWII, Jim Flemming (at the time a Flight Lieutenant and later Air Vice Marshal and later still Director of the Australian War Memorial, now deceased) on having a flame-out at extreme altitude in USA, Graham Neil (also a Flight Lieutenant at the time and later an Air Vice Marshal) of two very hairy experiences where he survived in spite of fate nearly decreeing otherwise, and Wing Commander Peter Larard of flying operations and living conditions in the Vietnam War, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.