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RAAF Black Cats
- Narrated by: David Tredinnick
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
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Publisher's Summary
The secret and dangerous operations of Australia's Pacific War Catalina crews told for the first time.
RAAF Black Cats chronicles a little-known yet crucial and courageous chapter in Australia's war history. While this story involved Australia and the United States, very few people on either side of the Pacific know of the significance the RAAF Catalina Squadrons had on the outcome of the war against Japan and General Douglas MacArthur's triumphant 'return' to the Philippines.
Between 22 April 1943 and 1 July 1945, the crews of the RAAF's PBY Flying Boat (Catalina) squadrons in coalition with the US 7th Fleet conducted top-secret covert mine-laying missions in the South Pacific to disrupt Japanese naval supply and military operations. General Douglas MacArthur, particularly, believed mine-laying would be an effective weapon to stop the Japanese from supplying their forces, feeding their war machine and, therefore, softening the enemy for US Army and Marine landings. He was proved right.
This is the powerful story of the brave Australian crews who flew some of the most dangerous missions of the Pacific War.
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What listeners say about RAAF Black Cats
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Jeff
- 14-07-2022
Great Australian History
A wonderful tribute to the men who were the true heroes of the Pacific theatre of WWII. Some Americans do/did recognise these men as they fought with and supported them throughout the war. Typically though, if it wasn't done by a yank, it never happened and they are still as arrogant today in 2022.
Black Cats of Australian operations were so different to the US counterparts, both were brave aviators to fly at that speed doing the tasks they were set. I don't think for a minute, either one would swap roles. They were specialists in their respective fields of tasking.
Without the RAAF Black Cats doing the dangerous job they performed so frequently from 1943 - 1945, the Japanese position in the SWP could have been entirely different.
If you are an Australian, you need to hear the story of these few men who history has left out of the records... They deserve to be known for the sheer bravery, ingenuity and relentless devotion to the task of defending Australia as well as defeating the Japanese.
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- Anonymous User
- 19-05-2023
Great Australian history.
As usual the more I read about the Pacific war the more I understand why most Australian servicemen greatly disliked General MacArthur. Wanted all the credit for his Army. We miss put on a lot of the history of our own brave men and women. Must read for anyone interested in Australia's part in this campaign. Great narrator.
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- Anonymous User
- 06-08-2021
Revealing
Very interesting and revealed a side of World War 2 that I was not aware of.
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- Colin mepham
- 16-10-2019
Black book
It’s possible it is a good story but I have found it hard keep interest in it sorry
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