In June 1940, the German Army had brought the rest of Europe to its knees. 'Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world will move forward into broad, sunlit uplands,' said Churchill. The future of Europe depended on Britain. A self-confident Herman Göring thought that it would be only a matter of weeks before his planes had forced Britain to surrender. The courage, resourcefulness and brilliant organisation of the RAF were to prove him wrong. By late September 1940, the RAF had proved invincible, thanks to the Vickers Supermarine Spitfire. It exceeded anything that any other air force possessed. RJ Mitchell, a shy and almost painfully modest engineer, was the genius behind the Spitfire. On the 5th March 1936, following its successful maiden flight, a legend was born.
Prize-winning historian Leo McKinstry's vivid history of the Spitfire brings together a rich cast of characters and first hand testimonies. It is a tale full of drama and heroism, of glory and tragedy, with the main protagonist the remarkable plane that played a crucial role in saving Britain.
Spitfire : Portrait of a Legend
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Praise for ROSEBERY:
(. )'Stunning ... As well as being meticulously researched, it is beautifully written and has tremendous pace' (Literary Review )
'Absorbing ... McKinstry has here proved himself to be a first-class historical biographer' (Mail on Sunday 20050529)
'With masterly skill and sympathy, Leo McKinstry resurrects him as the Hamlet of late Victorian England' (Daily Mail 20050529)
An authoritative and original biography which is also a riveting read'
(Spectator 20050529)'Superbly well-researched and well-written ... A truly first-class addition to the genre of Prime Ministerial biography' (Sunday Telegraph 20050529)
'An absolutely wonderful biography ... gripping and entertaining'
(Evening Standard 20050529)'A first class biography, scholarly, judicious and always interesting'
(Glasgow Herald 20050529)'Remarkable'
(Country Life 20050529)'Judicious, well-researched and engrossing'
(Sunday Times 20050529)'This is undoubtably the definitive biography of Rosebery. Written with elegance, clarity and well-judged colour'
(Jonathan Parry, Times Literary Supplement 20051007)'It does a wonderful job of conjuring up the lost world of late Victorian politics'
(Dominic Sandbrook, Daily Telegraph 20051203)'Admirable biography of a paradoxical figure whose tenure at No 10 was a disaster'
(Jeremy Lewis, Sunday Times 20051204)About the Author
Leo McKinstry writes regularly for the Daily Mail, Sunday Telegraph and Spectator . He has also written five books including a study of the Labour Party and a best-selling biography of the footballing Charlton brothers. Born in Belfast he was educated in Ireland and at Cambridge University.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I am currently reading this book, and can assure those who are considering purchasing it, that the author does in fact discuss the Spitfire in a fair manner. I have heard the author speak about the book in London, and the comments of two former Battle of Britain Spitfire pilots, who were both convinced of the accuracy of this work. Contrary to what Sean has written, the author does discuss radar and the early warning system, Dowding and RAF command, the change in German strategy during the battle, the role of the Hurricane, and other aircraft, as well as many other points including the politics behind the project. I have not yet finished, but from what I have read so far, I can strongly recommend to anyone who has an interest in both the legend of this famous aircraft, and the true story behind it. I would suggest not taking too seriously the comments of someone who has based their opinion of a 417 page book on a 7 line synopsis.
32 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Like the aircraft itself, this is an elegant piece of work with a depth of sophistication and understated complexity, totally befitting the subject matter! Unlike 'Mr Tuffet' below, I believe one needs to at least read the subject matter at hand before making such unqualified sweeping statements. Shame on him!..But more importantly, more fool him, as this study of R J Mitchell's finest hour tells the lesser known 'warts and all' story of this historic plane without the usual romanticisms.
From Beaverbrook, to the enlisted men on the ground who all worked so tirelessly to get, and then keep this legend in the air, I found this an enlightening and, at times, somewhat disturbing account of a national icon that quite literally may NEVER have been! One can scarcely imagine it now, but the pre-war blinkered adherence to the 'total bomber' doctrine, the factory workers who at times even refused to put her together mere weeks before The Battle of Britain, and the governments hell-bent attempts to cancel the project, give a huge insight into the somewhat darker 'unglossed' days of this extraordinary aircraft.
The research that has gone into this work is extensive. As a result, the author offers a refreshing new perspective on the conceptualisation, manufacture, and implementation of the beautiful Spitfire design. Fluid, and engrossing, this work is a compelling read. I was sat on my 'Maffett' throughout, eager and hungry for the next chapter!
A must for all those who think they know all there is to know about this amazing plane, and those associated with it. A joy to read !
From Beaverbrook, to the enlisted men on the ground who all worked so tirelessly to get, and then keep this legend in the air, I found this an enlightening and, at times, somewhat disturbing account of a national icon that quite literally may NEVER have been! One can scarcely imagine it now, but the pre-war blinkered adherence to the 'total bomber' doctrine, the factory workers who at times even refused to put her together mere weeks before The Battle of Britain, and the governments hell-bent attempts to cancel the project, give a huge insight into the somewhat darker 'unglossed' days of this extraordinary aircraft.
The research that has gone into this work is extensive. As a result, the author offers a refreshing new perspective on the conceptualisation, manufacture, and implementation of the beautiful Spitfire design. Fluid, and engrossing, this work is a compelling read. I was sat on my 'Maffett' throughout, eager and hungry for the next chapter!
A must for all those who think they know all there is to know about this amazing plane, and those associated with it. A joy to read !
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By K. Lowe
Format:Hardcover
I wanted to give this book four stars, but have given it five to counteract the ridiculous one star review given by Sean Moffat below. What on earth possesses someone to write a review of a book they haven't even read? Mr Moffat is reviewing the Amazon blurb, rather than the book - but surely everyone knows that this is written by the publisher, not the author.
Anyway... now that I've got that off my chest, what I really wanted to say was that this was a good solid book about the Spitfire, with the emphasis firmly on the way the plane was produced and modified, but with plenty of in-the-cockpit action as well. It is well-researched, especially the parts describing the chaos at the Supermarine company in the run-up to the war, which meant that far too few Spitfires were produced in time for the Battle of Britain. The author isn't quite Pierre Clostermann, and it's a bit short on tales of derring-do - and the Spitfire's role in the war after 1942 is glanced over fairly quickly - but, as the subtitle says, this is a 'portrait' not a comprehensive history. Still, I reckon he does discuss just about every aspect of this wonderful machine, if only briefly.
In short, it's worth a read.
Anyway... now that I've got that off my chest, what I really wanted to say was that this was a good solid book about the Spitfire, with the emphasis firmly on the way the plane was produced and modified, but with plenty of in-the-cockpit action as well. It is well-researched, especially the parts describing the chaos at the Supermarine company in the run-up to the war, which meant that far too few Spitfires were produced in time for the Battle of Britain. The author isn't quite Pierre Clostermann, and it's a bit short on tales of derring-do - and the Spitfire's role in the war after 1942 is glanced over fairly quickly - but, as the subtitle says, this is a 'portrait' not a comprehensive history. Still, I reckon he does discuss just about every aspect of this wonderful machine, if only briefly.
In short, it's worth a read.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Peter Scott
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This wasn't the book I expected. A better title would have been 'The Spitfire In Action'.
Having read Sharp and Bowyer's book 'Mosquito', I was looking forward to technical details about the aircraft including drawings, photographs and technical data. Photographs there are, but many are conventional three-quarter views from a distance. There is much mention of the cramped cockpit and poor visibility but no pictures. There is a lot of description of the technically brilliant stressed metal wings, but no photos or drawings, even of the highly criticised fabric-covered ailerons and their metal replacements. This is not a book for the propellor-head who wants to know about the engineering of the machine. It would have been interesting to see how the components were made.
What you do get is a thorough account of the various battles and events of World War Two and the often destructive political and personality clashes that lay behind the war effort. Leo McKinstry is excellent at describing the people involved and how they fought or co-operated. He is not afraid to make judgements. The reader is left in no doubt of his admiration for the Spitfire's designer Mitchell and for Churchill, Beaverbrook and Dowding, and of course the heroic men who flew. He makes his case well. He also spends much time adjudicating on the vexed matter of whether it was the Hurricane or the Spitfire that was the more significant.
Having read Sharp and Bowyer's book 'Mosquito', I was looking forward to technical details about the aircraft including drawings, photographs and technical data. Photographs there are, but many are conventional three-quarter views from a distance. There is much mention of the cramped cockpit and poor visibility but no pictures. There is a lot of description of the technically brilliant stressed metal wings, but no photos or drawings, even of the highly criticised fabric-covered ailerons and their metal replacements. This is not a book for the propellor-head who wants to know about the engineering of the machine. It would have been interesting to see how the components were made.
What you do get is a thorough account of the various battles and events of World War Two and the often destructive political and personality clashes that lay behind the war effort. Leo McKinstry is excellent at describing the people involved and how they fought or co-operated. He is not afraid to make judgements. The reader is left in no doubt of his admiration for the Spitfire's designer Mitchell and for Churchill, Beaverbrook and Dowding, and of course the heroic men who flew. He makes his case well. He also spends much time adjudicating on the vexed matter of whether it was the Hurricane or the Spitfire that was the more significant.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Spitfire
Not bad. The author writes like a teenager - he keeps calling the Spitfire a plane, this is a bit distracting.
Published 9 days ago by Andrew Mccheyne
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spitfire
Fascinating history of the iconic fighter plane through its traumatic development to service in WW2 and beyond. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Steve Blease
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tally ho!!!
Great book - written with obvious passion for a much loved subject. All in all, an up to date tale of a timeless classic...
Published 8 months ago by Valleys Madcat
4.0 out of 5 stars
good but flawed
excellent background on the production of the Spitfire and well written overall,but some glaring errors, chief of which is the Axis losses over Malta that the author gives on page... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Goater's Lad
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must for Spitfire addicts
No collection of Spitfire books is complete without this book.
It takes you from the beginning of the design of the Spitfire, through the problems of manufacturing, and to the... Read more
It takes you from the beginning of the design of the Spitfire, through the problems of manufacturing, and to the... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Finn Rosenloev
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Leo McKinstry's aviation books offer possibly the most balanced view of his topics . Unlike many others they spend as much time discussing the the political, operational and... Read more
Published 15 months ago by VinyltoCD
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very informative book a good read
A very informative book for anyone interested in this period of history, to discover how Britain very nearly did not have one of the greatest planes due to goverment bungling,... Read more
Published 20 months ago by cyprustraveler
4.0 out of 5 stars
Superb read but no photos in Kindle edition
A very enjoyable read but (and I get fed up saying this) the Kindle edition has no photographs. Why? Read more
Published 24 months ago by J. R. Clarke
4.0 out of 5 stars
My Read of Spitfire
I found parts of the book riveting and others confusing. The book is a very good historical record of the birth and life of this great aircraft, unfortunately it does tend to jump... Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2011 by R. C. Helle-Lorentzen
5.0 out of 5 stars
A TRULY LEGENDARY AEROPLANE
Superbly researched story of one (if not the most) famous aircraft of all time. Fascinating facts regarding the development, manufacture and service life of 'The recipient of more... Read more
Published on 7 Oct 2010 by TANGO BLUE LEADER
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