Black Cats: Australia's Long Range Catalina Strike Force

Biography & Memoir History Australiana

Black Cats: Australia's Long Range Catalina Strike Force by A.E. Minty lifts the curtain on the secret night-bombing missions flown by RAAF Catalina crews across the Pacific. In this 2001 paperback the aviation historian traces how the big flying boats became ghostly raiders, striking far beyond their designed range.

Ideal for aviation buffs and Australian military history readers, the 250-page narrative blends official records with first-hand accounts of the men who navigated moonlit seas and enemy coasts. Minty’s research captures both the technical evolution of the Catalina and the gritty culture of the squadrons known as the “Black Cats.”

This copy remains crisp and readable: pages are clean, binding tight, no notes or dog-ears; only light foxing on the outer edge and front blank verifies its vintage. Stored smoke-free, it’s ready to slot into any collection of aviation history or true Australian wartime stories.