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The Last Eaglehawk
A thrilling action adventure set in wartime Australia, The Last Eaglehawk is the winner of the National Seniors Literary Prize for 2014.
On a cold Brisbane morning in 1997, seven-year-old Benjamin Taylor is happy to stay indoors and fly jet fighters in the virtual world. For his grandfather, however, the computer game triggers a childhood memory he's kept hidden all these years . . .
An aircraft cockpit . . . A Japanese plane in the crosshairs . . . A terrible explosion . . .
It's 1942, and aviation designer Richard Gannon is coming to terms with the rejection of his prototype fighter plane, The Eaglehawk, when news comes through that Darwin has been bombed by the Japanese. The Australian Government can no longer afford to drag their feet and Air Commodore Wilfred Benham has a risky, and decidedly controversial, proposal to make.
Richard's plane will be put into production - but at only half the size. And it will be children, recruited from streets and orphanages across Australia, who will become its fighter pilots.
The Last Eaglehawk is an exciting story of triumph and tragedy, of audacious wartime operations and the courageous children who take to the skies to defend their land.
On a cold Brisbane morning in 1997, seven-year-old Benjamin Taylor is happy to stay indoors and fly jet fighters in the virtual world. For his grandfather, however, the computer game triggers a childhood memory he's kept hidden all these years . . .
An aircraft cockpit . . . A Japanese plane in the crosshairs . . . A terrible explosion . . .
It's 1942, and aviation designer Richard Gannon is coming to terms with the rejection of his prototype fighter plane, The Eaglehawk, when news comes through that Darwin has been bombed by the Japanese. The Australian Government can no longer afford to drag their feet and Air Commodore Wilfred Benham has a risky, and decidedly controversial, proposal to make.
Richard's plane will be put into production - but at only half the size. And it will be children, recruited from streets and orphanages across Australia, who will become its fighter pilots.
The Last Eaglehawk is an exciting story of triumph and tragedy, of audacious wartime operations and the courageous children who take to the skies to defend their land.
386 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2014
1 person want to read
About the author
Bruce Gannaway
1 book2 followersBruce Gannaway is the winner of The National Seniors Literary Prize 2014. His debut novel, ‘The Last Eaglehawk’, was inspired by his own experiences as a child building aeroplanes out of wooden packing crates, and later in life watching his own children wrestling with joysticks as they fought countless hostile fighters in the virtual world of computer games.
Bruce was born in Melbourne, Victoria in 1958 and was educated at Black Rock State School and Beaumaris High School where his passion for writing began with stories which would later be read to his own children at bedtime.
In 1981, Bruce moved to Queensland and in 1988 was married. Living in Mount Warren Park with his wife Christina, Bruce has four children and three grandchildren and works in the Australian Public Service. Favourite pastimes include building model aircraft, military history and collecting militaria.
Inspired by Authors such as W.E.Johns for his ‘Biggles’ series of books, Jules Verne for his remarkable imagination and later Steven King, James Herbert and James Patterson to name a few, Bruce indulges his passion for fictional writing at every opportunity.
Bruce was born in Melbourne, Victoria in 1958 and was educated at Black Rock State School and Beaumaris High School where his passion for writing began with stories which would later be read to his own children at bedtime.
In 1981, Bruce moved to Queensland and in 1988 was married. Living in Mount Warren Park with his wife Christina, Bruce has four children and three grandchildren and works in the Australian Public Service. Favourite pastimes include building model aircraft, military history and collecting militaria.
Inspired by Authors such as W.E.Johns for his ‘Biggles’ series of books, Jules Verne for his remarkable imagination and later Steven King, James Herbert and James Patterson to name a few, Bruce indulges his passion for fictional writing at every opportunity.
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August 8, 2015
I have read, and can thoroughly recommend this book to all generations. The storyline is very unique and had me up until the early hours of the morning wanting to read "just one more chapter" so I could see what happened next. The characters in this book take on a life of their own, they made me laugh at times, also angered me and even brought me to tears a few times. The twists and turns throughout the book are incredibly written and have you wanting to read more. I enjoyed it immensely, and look forward to reading more from this new and upcoming author
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