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Bestselling author John Nichol’s passionate portrait of this magnificent fighter aircraft, its many innovations and updates, and the people who flew and loved them, carries the reader beyond the dogfights over Kent and Sussex. Spanning the full global reach of the Spitfire’s deployment during WWII, from Malta to North Africa and the Far East, then over the D-Day beaches, it is always accessible, effortlessly entertaining and full of extraordinary spirit. As the RAF marks its centenary, Nichol has created a thrilling and often moving tribute to some of its greatest heroes.' This is quite a special book because so many, if not all, of those pilots interviewed for it have all passed away, many of tbem in the time it took to write and edit it. Nevertheless, no matter how good the book may seem, it has some negatives. The stories are from first-hand accounts from those who flew it during WWII, which means that the book instead provides a primitive history of the spitfire instead of diving too deeply into it. However, unlike many similarly formatted books, this one gives accounts of people outside of England and through the subsequent campaigns in Malta, North Africa, Italy, France etc. This makes it stand out from nearly every other one of these books.
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For many British people of a certain age, the Spitfire has the status of a national icon, although I think that’s less the case for younger people. The other main Battle of Britain fighter plane, the Hawker Hurricane, has nothing like the allure of the Spitfire. Early in the book the author poses the question: I am often asked which is my favourite aircraft.it is a very difficult question for me to answer. Who wouldn't be impressed with the gut-wrenching climb performance of the Lightning, almost touching the lower reaches of space, out of howling along in a Hawker Sea Fury? So I answer the question this way: if God said that I could have just one more flight, my last flight before I die, in any aircraft I have ever flown, I would choose to get airborne in a Spitfire." This is no ordinary history book. This is no run-of-the-mill, over done book on a very famous plane. This is a book which shines a light into the soul of the Spitfire: it tells the story of the people. At Ultimate Warbird Flights, we strive to make your Spitfire Flight a truly unforgettable experience.
Witnesses tell the story of this amazing achievement
A name etched into history thanks to the heroic actions of 'The Few' young pilots holding off the numerically superior Luftwaffe during the height of the Battle of Britain in the early days of WWII.
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A superb journey through the remarkable tale of that British icon, the Spitfire. Brilliantly and engagingly written, this is the most readable story of the aircraft and her pilots that I have ever had the pleasure to read in a period spanning some forty-odd years of personal study and research. Truly stunning.' While it hasn't convinced me that the Spit was superior to the Hurricane, I have a new regard for the aircraft. It's always nice to be challenged in your prejudices. This book was so well written that it was the first time I really understood the various movements of the war. Perhaps I needed a bird’s-eye view to see it all more clearly; although maybe I should say a Spitfire’s view. A superb journey through the remarkable tale of that British icon, the Spitfire. Brilliantly and engagingly written, this is the most readable story of the aircraft and her pilots that I have ever had the pleasure to read in a period spanning some forty-odd years of personal study and research. Truly stunning.' Andy Saunders, Editor, Britain at War Magazine.
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The vignettes are an interesting approach to the book. Because the narrative doesn't follow a specific squadron or pilot, there is a lot of jumping around in short sections. There are a number of pilots who make multiple appearances as their stories, locations, etc. follow the flow of the book. Usually the vignettes are specific mission experiences or thoughts about the war experience pulled from their letters or diaries. While maybe a bit disjointed, there are some great war stories and it does allow you to read it in small chunks (which is why it took me a while!). I would have given, wanted to give, 5 stars, however, the inclusion of the sentence regarding the stray dog stopped me. Whilst pertinent to the character of the individual, I felt it could have been omitted hence why not the full 5.
Spitfire by John Nichol | Waterstones
Ultimate Warbird Flights are delighted to offer you the chance to experience what it was like for those pilots and take the controls of this legendary fighter for yourself with an unforgettable flight in our very own Supermarine Spitfire. This account of World War Two weaves it's way through the war years, without too much detail. It covers the events as seen and witnessed through the first hand accounts of those who were part of the contribution the Spitfires made to winning the war. I must confess that I found the first half of the book repetative in recounting the individual stories each of those very brave people told. There is a limit to how many times you can be told what a wonderful plane the Spitfire was. John Nichol's book tells the stories of dozens of pilots, both men and women, and the sacrifices they made during the war. It's finely balanced between the technical side and development of the Spit, and the personal accounts of the pilots, many now in their 90s. In parts, it's incredibly moving, especially when you think many of these pilots were under twenty when they first took to the skies. Pianobook is run by a small group of dedicated volunteers but with the whole community contributing at large by creating and sharing musical demos of the different instruments so users can browse sounds. After launching in 2018 it soon became clear that not everyone was in a position to have an access to a piano so the team decided to open the flood gates too all “instruments” from poorly played flutes to fire extinguishers.Nichol, an ex-RAF man himself, interviewed a number of veterans for this book and it is the tale not so much of the aeroplane but of the men and women who flew and worked on it. The pilots’ stories make up the bulk of the book, from ‘The Few’ of the Battle of Britain, to the photo reconnaissance pilots who flew unarmed Spitfires deep into Nazi Germany, and the female ferry pilots who delivered them to squadrons. What is it about the Spitfire? …Why, over eighty years after she first flew, is the Spitfire regarded as the very symbol of Britishness; … Why is this particular aircraft loved so much? Wonderful book for a beautiful plane. I did not know it went through so many upgrades and changes as the Luftwaffe planes improved. I did not recall the long fights for Malta, or the disaster at Dieppe.
Secret Spitfires - The story of hundreds of women, girls and
Pilots, in spite of fear and sometimes mortal terror, took to the skies, knowing any flight could be their last but they did it anyway in an aeroplane that became as much of a hero as the pilots (male and female) who flew them. As a member of the post Second World War generation who grew up on Biggles and the accounts of the battle of Britain, the Supermarine Spitfire has always been a thing of beauty for me. As the aircraft that saved Britain from being overrun in 1940, as the most beautiful of aeroplanes in all its variants, it is quintessentially British. Although it’s over 70 years since its finest hour, the Spitfire retains a unique place in the British consciousness as a symbol of hope and, ultimately, of victory. The book was published in 2018 and is a compilation of stories about the experience in WWII. The stories focus on the heartbreaking tales of those who had to serve and sometimes give up their life for us to be here today. From start to finish our focus is on making sure you feel safe, welcome and involved and we encourage our passengers to bring family and friends along to share in your day.If you want to buy DVDs in bulk please send a message and we will try to accomodate you. Screenings
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