The definitive history of the Imperial Japanese Tainan Naval Air Group - the most prestigious of any Japanese aerial unit in World War 2. It was assigned New Guinea in April 1942, confident of victory, having already conquered the Philippines and Dutch East Indies. However, by mid-November 1942 only eighteen pilots from the original cadre sailed home from Rabaul, marking the end of an era. This book outlines the definitive history of this flagship unit in New Guinea, sourcing material from all sides of the conflict.

This book is not about imaging from the southern hemisphere, but rather about imaging those areas of the sky that lie south of the celestial equator. Many of the astronomical objects presented are also accessible to northern hemisphere imagers, including those in both the USA and Europe. Imaging the Southern Sky discusses over 150 of the best southern objects to image, including nebulae, galaxies, and planetaries, each one accompanied by a spectacular color image. This book also includes sections on both image capturing and processing techniques and so makes an ideal all-in-one introduction. Furthermore, because it contains an in-depth study of how to capture all the objects, many of which are rarely imaged by amateurs and professionals alike, it is also extremely useful for the more advanced imager.

In early 1942, while the American military was still in disarray from the devastating attacks on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, a single U.S. Army squadron advanced to the far side of the world to face America's new enemy. Based in Australia with inadequate supplies and no ground support, the squadron's pilots and combat crew endured tropical diseases while confronting numerically superior Japanese forces. Yet the outfit, dubbed the Kangaroo Squadron, proved remarkably resilient and successful, conducting long-range bombing raids, carrying out armed reconnaissance missions, and rescuing General MacArthur and his staff from the Philippines. Before now, the story of their courage and determination in the face of overwhelming odds has largely been untold. Using eyewitness accounts from diaries, letters, interviews, and memoirs, as well as Japanese sources, historian Bruce Gamble brings to vivid life this dramatic true account. But the Kangaroo Squadron's story doesn't end in World War II. One of the squadron's B-17 bombers, which crash-landed on its first mission, was recovered from New Guinea after almost seventy years in a jungle swamp. The intertwined stories of the Kangaroo Squadron and the "Swamp Ghost" are filled with thrilling accounts of aerial combat, an epic survival story, and the powerful mystique of an invaluable war relic.

An action-packed story of love, duty and destiny, by global sensation Wilbur Smith. 'A master storyteller' - Sunday Times 'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' - The Times 'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily Mirror The higher you fly, the harder you fall . . . From a young age it's clear that David Morgan is a 'bird', a natural pilot, most at home in the air. His family want him to take over the family business, but David is determined to follow his destiny, and joins the South African Air Force, where he is commended for his skills. When he meets Debra, a beautiful young Israeli writer, David once again feels the pull of destiny. He joins the Israeli Defence Force and finds himself caught up in the country's struggles. But when the war separates him from Debra, David feels his two destinies pulling him apart. Can he become the man he always dreamed of being, without losing the woman he's fighting for?

The astonishing untold story of the WWII airmen who risked it all in the deadly race to become the greatest American fighter pilot. In 1942, America's deadliest fighter pilot, or "ace of aces" -- the legendary Eddie Rickenbacker -- offered a bottle of bourbon to the first U.S. fighter pilot to break his record of twenty-six enemy planes shot down. Seizing on the challenge to motivate his men, General George Kenney promoted what they would come to call the "race of aces" as a way of boosting the spirits of his war-weary command. What developed was a wild three-year sprint for fame and glory, and the chance to be called America's greatest fighter pilot. The story has never been told until now. Based on new research and full of revelations, John Bruning's brilliant, original book tells the story of how five American pilots contended for personal glory in the Pacific while leading Kenney's resurgent air force against the most formidable enemy America ever faced. The pilots -- Richard Bong, Tommy McGuire, Neel Kearby, Charles MacDonald and Gerald Johnson -- riveted the nation as they contended for Rickenbacker's crown. As their scores mounted, they transformed themselves from farm boys and aspiring dentists into artists of the modern dogfight. But as the race reached its climax, some of the pilots began to see how the spotlight warped their sense of duty. They emerged as leaders, beloved by their men as they chose selfless devotion over national accolades. Teeming with action all across the vast Pacific theater, Race of Aces is a fascinating exploration of the boundary between honorable duty, personal glory, and the complex landscape of the human heart. "Brings you into the cockpit of the lethal, fast-paced world of fighter pilots . . . Fascinating." -- Sara Vladic"Extraordinary . . . a must-read." -- US Navy Captain Dan Pedersen"A heart-pounding narrative of the courage, sacrifice, and tragedy of America's elite fighter pilots." -- James M. Scott"Vivid and gripping . . . Confirms Bruning's status as the premier war historian of the air." -- Saul David

This book celebrates the eagles of Africa in evocative text and compelling photography. Features: colour photographs of 26 eagle species occurring on the African mainland - a first in publishing history; Informative but readable species accounts; Special essays, in images and words, on the hunt, breeding cycle, the eagle's day and the eagle's world; Eagle names in English, Afrikaans, French, German, Spanish, Swahili, Tswana and Zulu; Distribution maps, measurements, global conservation status; Anecdotes from the authors' experience in the field.

2003 marked the centenary of flight in South Africa and John Illsley has compiled a pictorial history of early flight in this country, from its humble beginnings to the aeroplanes that were used at the beginning of World War I. Each chapter has an introductory article, to set the scene for its subject, and the rest of the chapter is made up of pictures with comprehensive explanatory captions. Among of the topics featured are: First flights on man-made wings; Siege balloons in two colonial wars; Balloons on imperial service; Box kites; The first aeroplanes; South Africa's first true aviator; The brief genesis of South African military aviation; South Africans on the Western Front; First to the Cape and back; An airline for the Union; Aviatrixes; War planes; Air shows; Air races; Aviation history in envelopes and stamps.

Kate Elliott's The Crossroads series discounted ebundle includes: Spirit Gate, Shadow Gate, Traitors' Gate In the land of the Hundred, peace has been hardwon--but a new army, led by a mysterious band of armed and soul-bonded corps that swoop across the skies, slowly casting a shadow over the world. Realizing they must avert the coming invasion, a large cast of engaging characters rise up to defend their people and regions against an epic landscape. With masterful storytelling, uniquely mythic characters and a compelling plot, Elliott captivates readers in The Crossroads series. Spirit Gate is the saga of a young woman, Mai, who, when she marries the mysterious Captain Anji, begins an adventure that will take her across distant lands, risking life and limb for a justice she can only imagine, fighting a fanatical army that is determined to destroy all who stand in the way of a brutal campaign of conquest. Shadow Gate: The source of corruption of the Guardians is still a mystery to the mortals who fight to withstand the forces that have turned against them. And when three new Guardians emerge, a struggle begins among the immortals, with nothing less at stake than the future of the land and its gods. Traitors’ Gate: The tumultuous conclusion of the epic fantasy Crossroads trilogy: A rich brew of politics, warfare, and social upheaval in a sweeping tapestry of a world in crisis, peopled with memorable characters and told with the power and pathos of a brilliant storyteller. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

From the tombs of the elite to the graves of commoners, mortuary remains offer rich insights into Classic Maya society. In Mortuary Landscapes of the Classic Maya: Rituals of Body and Soul, the anthropological archaeologist and bioarchaeologist Andrew K. Scherer explores the broad range of burial practices among the Maya of the Classic period (AD 250–900), integrating information gleaned from his own fieldwork with insights from the fields of iconography, epigraphy, and ethnography to illuminate this society’s rich funerary traditions. Scherer’s study of burials along the Usumacinta River at the Mexican-Guatemalan border and in the Central Petén region of Guatemala—areas that include Piedras Negras, El Kinel, Tecolote, El Zotz, and Yaxha—reveals commonalities and differences among royal, elite, and commoner mortuary practices. By analyzing skeletons containing dental and cranial modifications, as well as the adornments of interred bodies, Scherer probes Classic Maya conceptions of body, wellness, and the afterlife. Scherer also moves beyond the body to look at the spatial orientation of the burials and their integration into the architecture of Maya communities. Taking a unique interdisciplinary approach, the author examines how Classic Maya deathways can expand our understanding of this society’s beliefs and traditions, making Mortuary Landscapes of the Classic Maya an important step forward in Mesoamerican archeology.

The unknown story of how a fleet of Australian fishing boats, trawlers and schooners supplied US and Australian forces in the Pacific - and helped turn the course of World War II. Mid-1942: from China to New Guinea, the Pacific belonged to the Japanese. In this desperate situation, a fleet of hundreds of Australian small ships is assembled, sailing under the American flag, and crewed by over 3000 Australians either too young or too old to join the regular armed forces. Their task: to bring supplies and equipment to the Allied troops waging bloody battles against Japanese forces across the South Pacific. THE RAG TAG FLEET is the unknown story of the final months of 1942 - when these men ran the gauntlet of Japanese air attacks, malaria and dysentery, reefs, and shallow, shark-infested waters to support the US and Australian troops that defeated the entrenched Japanese forces at Buna on the New Guinea coast, and so helped turn the war in the Allies' favour. Their bravery, ingenuity and mettle helped turn the tide of the war. For the first time, their story is told. 'enthralling . . . makes for a fascinating read.' CANBERRA TIMES