In this special cross-over edition of the Defence Connect Podcast and Australian Aviation Podcast, Air Vice-Marshal (Ret’d) John Quaife, AM joins host Phil Tarrant to discuss his new book Viking Boys.

A former Air Commander Australia, Quaife spent nearly three decades in the Royal Australian Air Force as a fighter pilot. After retiring from the service, he became a member of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal where he learnt incredible stories of untold bravery from Australian service personnel.

Viking Boys tells the story of Beaufighter pilot James Hakewill and his navigator Fred Sides, who died on 5 December 1944 when their aircraft slammed into a German gunboat in a fjord in Norway.

While official records contain no mention of the aircraft hitting the ship, Quaife reveals what truly happened on 5 December 1944.

Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect Team

Viking Boys, with Air Vice-Marshal (Ret’d) John Quaife