In August 1947, one of the earliest long-haul passenger aircraft, a Lancastrian called Star Dust, disappeared en route to Santiago, Chile. Was it sabotage? Was there a horde of gold on board? What did the radio operator's mysterious final message mean?
'Star Dust Falling' is the story of those on board that pioneering aircraft and of the ramshackle airline - British South American Airways - which sent them to their deaths. Run on a shoestring, regularly flying without sufficient fuel or access to adequate weather forecasts, BSAA became one of the most dangerous airlines in the world.
In this fascinating and compelling account, Jay Rayner recreates the loss of Star Dust and her discovery fifty years later in the High Andes, and vividly captures the characters involved. Combining the glamour of the early days of long-haul flight with the solving of one of aviation's greatest mysteries, 'Star Dust Falling' is an exhilarating and moving read.
