The lost pilots

The Lost Pilots, written by Corey Mead and released in 2018, tells the true story of three young men—Bill Piper, Dean Lamb, and Waldo Ross—who in the early 1930s became international fugitives after stealing a plane and embarking on a daring, unauthorized flight across South America. The narrative reconstructs their perilous journey through jungles and mountains, highlighting the reckless ambition and camaraderie that fueled their escapade during the golden age of aviation.

The book serves as a historical recovery project, meticulously researched through contemporary newspapers, aviation records, and personal correspondences to shed light on a largely forgotten episode of mid-century adventure. Mead’s approach was to provide a cinematic, non-fiction account that captures the desperation and curiosity of the Great Depression era, ultimately receiving positive attention for its ability to bring a buried, high-stakes human drama to light.