B ooks
Wings of Gold
The Story of Australian Pilots and Observers Who Trained with the United States Navy 1966–1968 A u t h o r s : Tr e v o r R i e c k , J a c k McCaffrie, Jed Hart In 1965, The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Air Fleet Arm was experiencing a serious shortage of aircrew to fly the helicopters and aircraft it was acquiring to reach its ongoing operational needs. Training support provided by the RAAF was not adequate enough to meet the numbers required to fill the role of aircrew for the RAN. The RAN therefore took big steps in approaching the
United States Navy to accept and train 49 personnel as pilots and observers through their aircrew training program, largely based in Pensacola, Florida. The ambitious program came to be known as the ‘Pensacola Experiment’ and was considered to be an outstanding success, graduating 47 aircrew for the RAN between 1966-1968. This account of a group of young Australians’ taking up the challenge to train with the United States Navy is a unique story and engaging right from the beginning. The characters are instantly likeable and easy to identify with. The reader gets to know them in great detail as they recount their personal stories, beginning the journey from selection for aircrew, initial flying training, graduation and eventually gaining their wings as Naval aviators. There are many personal reflections and amusing encounters along the way as the trainees deal with a system and culture very different to their own. ‘Wings of Gold’ is well researched and written, including many good photos and diagrams from this period. Authors Trevor Rieck, Jack McCaffrie and Jed Hart present an exceptional and clear version of events that led to the proposal, introduction and running of this successful program for the RAN at
Former naval aviators Jed Hart (Left) and Commodore Jack McCaffrie (Rtd) (Right) hold their book 'Wings of Gold' in a UH-1 Iroquois helicopter at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, HMAS Albatross. CPOIS Cameron Martin.
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the time, whilst also keeping the reader entertained. As the book Foreword suggests, I certainly did feel it possible to strap into a T-28 Trojan and land on the deck of an aircraft carrier after reading this amazing story - a unique chapter in Australia’s aviation history. Published by Big Sky Publishing Pages: 285 | RRP: $34.99 in hardback ISBN: 9781922265852
The High Life of Oswald Watt Australia’s First Military Pilot Author: Chris Clark Walter Oswald Watt was a major influence and contributor to Australia’s emergent military aviation world during the early 1900’s. Qualifying as the first pilot in the Australian Army in 1911, he would go on to serve briefly with the French Air Service upon the outbreak of World War I. By 1916, he had transferred to the Australian Flying Corps and quickly progressed from flight commander with No. 1 Squadron in Egypt to Commanding Officer of No. 2 Squadron on the Western Front. By February 1918, Watt had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and taken command of the AFC’s 1st Training Wing in England. During WWI, Oswald Watt had been the only AFC officer to command a wing apart from Lieutenant Colonel Richard Williams. In recognition of his distinguished service, heroism and leadership of all those who served under
