From the bush wars of southern Africa to the mountains of Afghanistan, Neall Ellis spent decades flying helicopters through some of the world’s most dangerous and least understood conflicts. A former South African Air Force pilot turned private military contractor, Ellis flew everything from French Alouettes to Soviet Mi-24 Hind gunships, becoming a central figure in the mercenary aviation operations of the late twentieth century.

Published in 2012, Gunship Ace chronicles Ellis’s remarkable career through the reporting of veteran war correspondent Al J. Venter, who personally accompanied him on several missions. The book examines the conflicts in Angola, the Congo, Sierra Leone, and Afghanistan, offering a firsthand perspective on unconventional warfare, military aviation, and the private armies operating beyond the attention of mainstream news coverage.

An unusual account of modern aerial warfare and a valuable addition to any collection concerned with African military history, rotary-wing aviation, or the changing nature of private military operations.