Operation Pelican : the Royal Australian Air Force in the Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949 / Chris Clark.

Collection type	Library
Author	Clark, Chris.; Australia. Royal Australian Air Force. Air Power Development Centre.;
Call Number	943.15540874 C592o
Document type	Monograph
Year	2008.
Pagination	ix, 86 p. : ill. (some col.), col. maps ; 2008.
Publisher	Air Power Development Centre,
Note	Bibliography: p. 83-86. "In 1948 Britain, France and the United States of America found themselves opposed to their former wartime ally, the Soviet Union, over matters regarding control of the capital of the defeated Nazi German regime. When the Soviets imposed a blockade of the city, the Allies had no option but to begin flying in the necessities of life for the two million inhabitants of the zones under their administration. Thus began the first large-scale humanitarian airlift in history. When Britain turned for support to it s Dominion partners, the transport element of the Royal Australian Air Force had recently ceased flying a regular courier service for Australian occupation forces involved in garrisoning another defeated Axis power of World War II, Japan - this role havin g been handed over to a commercial airline. By September 1948 an unnumbered Australian squadron had joined other RAAF transport crews already engaged as part of the massive allied undertaking. To the Americans the fifteen-month-long operation was codename d Vittles, while the British called it Plainfare. But to the Royal Australian Air Force personnel involved, the Berlin Airlift was known as Pelican. Here the story is told of the events that made the airlift necessary, what the undertaking entailed and th e part that Australians played in it, as well as the outcome and achievements of Operation Pelican."--Provided by publisher.
Place made	Tuggeranong, A.C.T.