Johnny Checketts by Vincent Orange
Johnny Checketts, widely recognised as one of the great fighter pilots of World War II, was born and raised in Invercargill, South Island, New Zealand. Considered by the locals to be a dare-devil motorcycle rider in his youth, it was natural that in 1939 he should join the RNZAF, then undergoing rapid expansion to its wartime strength of 33,000 men. In spite of being well over the average age for a fighter pilot, Johnny worked hard and turned out to be a great airman, tactician and leader in battle, achieving one of the highest scores of enemy aircraft destroyed in the air war over the Channel. He was shot down in September 1943 but avoided capture by the Germans with the help of the French Resistance - an absorbing story in itself. Rising to the rank of Wing Commander and being personally decorated by King George VI, after the war Johnny returned to New Zealand, left the service in 1955, founded an aerial topdressing company, and then lived in happy retirement until his death in 2006 at the age of 94. He is one of the true, though modest, 'heroes' of the war and Vincent Orange tells his story in a relaxed and elegant style taking the reader through Johnny's exploits in a unique period of human history never likely to be repeated.
"'The author has written this story in clear, uncluttered proseIt is a must for the flying enthusiast.' New Zealand Herald 'An intriguing insight into what makes a wartime ace.' Auckland Star"
Orange, Vincent: - Orange was born in 1935, in Shildon, County Durham and was educated at St. Mary's Grammar School, in Darlington, and at Hull University. Orange served in the Royal Air Force from 1953 to 1956. In 1962 he went to live in New Zealand and taught History at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch until he retired in 2002. His influence as an air power scholar is well known. His former students include prominent United Kingdom scholars Dr Joel Hayward and Dr Christina Goulter as well as Dr Adam Claasen of Massey University and Dr Andrew Conway of King's College London. Orange is married to Sandra, and has a stepdaughter Sarah.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781904943792 |
| ISBN 10 | 1904943799 |
| Title | Johnny Checketts |
| Author | Vincent Orange |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Grub Street Publishing |
| Year published | 2007-03-15 |
| Number of pages | 208 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |