Dair Devil by Clune Frank (2 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Good. 251 pages. missing dj, cloth worn, some insect damage as per photos, name ffep, Frank Clune's biography of Ernest Mustar, was pen ned to recognise his exploits as a soldier, WWI aviator and pioneer of commercia l aviation in Australia and New Guinea, before returning the the colours in WWII.

Hardcover. Condition: VG+. No Jacket. Maps (illustrator). 1st. Frank Clune's biography of Ernest (Pard) Mustar, was penned to recognise his exploits as a soldier, WWI aviator and pioneer of commercial aviation in Australia and New Guinea, before returning the the colours in WWII as a Squadron Leader in the Royal Australian Air Force, training fliers for the new conflict. However Pard Mustar, the author states, was a un-sung"legend" whose "shy bird" attitudes down-played his achievements as "onl;y a job of work." Mustar was an early volunteer for service in WWI and served at Gallipoli in the wireless section of the Australian Light Horse. His role as a communication specialist continued until he was drafted (briefly) to the Imperial Camel Corps as a signals officer, having risen to the rank of Second-Lieutenant. In mid 1917 he joined the Australian Flying Corps, initially with 67 Squadron RFC which, being manned by Australians, was redesigrated No 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps. Mustar's duties as an observer also requited him to be the aircraft's "aerial gunner" and his score of destroyed enemy aicraft contributed to his award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. No 1 Squadron Squadron AFC was judged to have played a vital role in the Allied victory in Palestrine. Toward the end WWI Mustar, with his regular pilot Ross Smith, flew a giant Handley Page bomber to carry supplies to Colonel Lawrence's irregular Arab force. Undoubtedly this experience ignited Mustar's interest in the development of commercial aviation, including the transport of heavy loads. In Egypt, after the Armistace, he qualified for his pilot's wings. On returning to Australia Mustar decided that aviation had a future in his vast homeland. With another returned pilot as partner a somewhat obsolete aircraft was purchased to undertake "joy-riding" flights in country town of the three states, their old plane being the first seen in many localities. When that plane had been scrapped Mustar rejoined an explanding AFC in 1922 to train recruits, leaving the service in after five years, deciding to concentrate on developing commercial air services. He was soon recruited to fly in New Guinea as a passenger-freight pilot serving the goldields for the Guinea Gold Company. That was in mid 1927 and by the end of the year Mustar was in Germany negotiating to purchase Junkers all-metal aircraft to carry heavy payloads to and fron the gold fields. After successfully introducing the German plane to New Guinea service Mustar left the territory in with a tropical sicknes, retutuned to Melbourne and joined an oil company as it aviation adviser He was attracted back to New Guinea where larger aircraft were required to trasport parts for a giant dredge inland. One again it was Junkers company that produced the plane to fit the job. Multi-engine all metal Junkers were then introduced and liftedr thousands of tons of dredge parts into the inexcessible (by land) locations for assembly. The different aspects of Mustar's fife, from his enlistment for WWI to near the beginng of WWII are covered in Clune's biography, withour which Pard Mustar would probably have remained largely anonymous and not as a pivotal figure in early Australian aviation and a pioneer of using aircraft for heavy freight services. First edition of 1941 from Angus and Robertson, 251 pages, red hard covers with blackspine titles are VG+, colour tone end--paper maps, ink inscription dated 1943 on half title, text block otherwise excellent. A great copy of a scarce book.