The extraordinary life of one of Britain’s greatest aviators.
Perfect for readers of Second World War aviation history and the pioneers of the jet age.
About the Book
John Cunningham rose to fame as the RAF’s most successful night-fighter ace. Nicknamed ‘Cat’s Eyes Cunningham’, he became a household name during the Blitz, symbolising Britain’s growing ability to defend its skies after dark.
Flying with his navigator, Jimmy Rawnsley, Cunningham played a crucial but little-known role in turning radar from an experimental idea into a decisive weapon. Their partnership helped transform the RAF’s night-fighter force and reshape the air war over Britain.
Quiet, modest, and intensely professional, Cunningham’s achievements did not end with the war. In the jet age that followed, he became Chief Test Pilot for the de Havilland Aircraft Company, placing him at the forefront of aviation’s most dramatic advances.
He led test programmes during the race for supersonic flight and was deeply involved in the development of the Comet — the world’s first jet airliner — facing both triumph and tragedy with characteristic calm.
Written with Cunningham’s full cooperation, John Golley’s biography follows this remarkable career from pre-war training to wartime combat, and into the high-risk world of post-war test flying. It is the portrait of a pioneering aviator — and a man defined by dedication, humility, and a lifelong desire to give something back.
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