{"product_id":"the-cac-boomerang-don-williams-9780975642320","title":"The Cac Boomerang: Australia's Own WWII Fighter","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe first stand-alone history of The CAC Boomerang, Australia's only homegrown fighter.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe CAC Boomerang has a unique place in Australian aviation history, being the nation's only home designed and produced fighter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe design was born in dark days at the start of the Pacific War when the RAAF possessed not a single modern fighter and the southwards onslaught of Japanese forces seemed unstoppable. The single seat Boomerang owed its origins to the Wirraway two seat general purpose aircraft produced by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in Melbourne. Because of existing Wirraway production, a Boomerang prototype flew less than six months after the design was conceived - a remarkable achievement.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLacking the performance of contemporaries such as America's P-39 and P-40 and Japan's Zero, the Boomerang's subsequent history is chequered. It served with three RAAF home defence squadrons in the fighter interceptor role but had only fleeting, unsuccessful, contact with enemy aircraft. However, the Boomerang found its true niche as an army cooperation aircraft, and the type gave very useful service with Nos. 4 and 5 Squadrons in New Guinea and Bougainville.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith hindsight the Boomerang provided an insurance policy if other fighters could not be obtained from the US and Britain. In that role it was successful, and its production maintained a skilled wartime workforce at the CAC factory.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is the first stand-alone history of the Boomerang. The author Don Williams examines this unique aircraft and its origins, service and the men that flew it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Don Williams\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0975642324\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780975642320\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Avonmore Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/31\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 104\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback","brand":"Don Williams","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46250681696511,"sku":"9780975642320","price":42.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_de1a6141-b710-410b-972d-93e456395283.jpg?v=1729601077","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-cac-boomerang-don-williams-9780975642320","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}