The Decisive Duel: Spitfire vs 109

by David Isby

London, 15 September 1940. The air battle over Britain on that day saw two of the most advanced fighter planes, the British Supermarine Spitfire and the German Messerschmitt Bf 109, battle for supremacy of the skies.

Genres: World War II, Aviation, Military Fiction

564 pages, Paperback

First published July 26, 2012

About the author

David Isby is an acclaimed author, attorney, and national defense consultant. In Washington, first as a congressional staff member and, subsequently, as a consultant on national security issues, Isby has worked for numerous firms with a range of governmental and private sector clients. He continues to write extensively on national security and military history topics, and is an author or editor of more than 20 books and 350 essays and articles in publications including International Defense Review, USA Today, Washington Times, Jane's Defense Weekly, Strategic Review, Comparative Strategy, Jamestown Terrorism Monitor, and Jane's Intelligence Review. He also has lectured at many staff colleges including National Defense University, US Army War College, US Army Command and General Staff College, Air Command & Staff College, US Marine Corps Command and General Staff College, Naval Postgraduate School, and other institutions.

Reviews

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good operational history of the Supermarine Spitfire and the Me-109. It follows both aircraft from their initial almost simultaneous development, through their initial deployment in WW II, and their subsequent fates after the war. I not sure that it uncovers any new information about either aircraft, but it is almost encyclopedic in the info it does provide. I was amazed at how many different types each aircraft went through as the war progressed. A change in a soup charger, or the wing shape and suddenly you had an almost new plane. The other thing that struck me was how quickly both the RAF and the Luftwaffe burned through their pilots so that by 1944, there were hardly any left on either side from the Battle of Britain. The RAF however had access to manpower and resources that the Luftwaffe did not. There is nothing earth shattering in this, but it was a good overview of the air war through the prism of these 2 fighters.

[Robert Hepple · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Decisive Duel – Spitfire vs 109 seeks to examine the development and operations of Spitfires and Me 109s side by side for comparison, and this is more or less expected from the title. Indeed, more than half of the book is devoted to the period 1940-1942 when both types were locked in regular combat firstly during the Battle of Britain and later during offensive operations over France. The ‘decisive’ aspect is, arguably less relevant in descriptions of air fighting over Europe from 1943-1945, as the German Air Force was decisively decimated by the actions of the USAAF P-47s and P-51s in that time. Decscriptions of Spitfire operations in the Far East, whilst interesting, seem a digression from the title. There is also some attempt to compare the idealogical differences that shaped the development of the aircraft. The book draws on a huge number of sources, all properly referenced to profuse notes at the end of the book. In spite of that, a few errors do creep in. 32 well selected photographs are marred by four significant caption errors, and one reversed image. Flaws aside, this is an enjoyable read for anyone interested in WWII aviation.

[Keith Budzynski · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Decisive Duel was a wonderful book that weaved together both the technical development and operational history of these two iconic World War II plans. It was interesting to learn how much these two planes were improved from their original plans. I found it interesting to learn how many USAAF squadrons used the Spitfire. I knew of a few based on the one at the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, OH. IT was also interesting learn that they were still in use twenty 20 years after World War II.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book rocks if you have a more than passing desire to know about the aircraft which fought over the skies of Europe all those years ago. The heroic R J Mitchell, Douglas Bader, Messerschmidt, Goering and a whole host of pilots and engineers and forced labourers - they're all here but the stars are the machines themselves an their epic battles.

[Brian Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic chronicle of these two aircraft, the people involved with them, and the events they helped shape. I couldn't recommend it enough to anyone with an interest in Second World War history.

[Simon Mee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not easy to focus on specific elements of a major conflict without losing sight of the wider context, but I believe The Decisive Duel manages it.

It is an easy thing to navel gaze at your selected subject, detailing every quirk or foible, treating any delay or eureka moment as having outsized impacts on events. The opposite is also true, focusing only on the broadest strokes. After all, the book is about two major powers having the economic wherewithal to build weapons systems that were... quelle surprise ...pretty closely matched. As per The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, some countries could keep up with the developments in metaled super-engined monoplanes in the late 1930s to the 1940s, while others could not.

The Decisive Duel is, for sure, full of specific details of the various versions of the Spitfire and 109, but it places them in context. The disjointed nature of German production and procurement gets a shout out, with Messerschmitt wasting precious aluminum on ladders and frameworks for grape growing while British aircraft numbers approach double those of German. That Germany had less 109s available for the invasion of Russia than it did for the attack on France (along with numerical difficulties throughout the war) provides insight to the running on fumes nature of the German war machine. As per the bibliography, Isby has read his Tooze.

Further, regardless of whether the result is predetermined by the economic gods, the narrative is interesting, like having to do figure S’s to see ahead while taxiing. The Battle of Britain (the direct main clash) is mercifully relatively short, as there is no need for further detailed comments. The British Cross-Channel air offensive, where they ended up losing two and a half fighters for every one they shot down in 1941 needed the attention it gets here. The later marks of Spitfires, which for various reasons outstripped updated Bf-109 get the detail lacking elsewhere. Obviously both aircraft faced other combatants, notably the P-47s and 51s for the 109, and the FW190s and Zero/Haps for the Spitfire, all of which feels acceptably covered considering the constraints of book length.

There’s a bit of romanticism for the German aces of the air:

'The Casanovas arrived the following day with weak knees, the day after the leave only easy missions were flown,' Galland recalled

…but again, it is relatively well handled within the context of the wider conflict. Rarely does Isby wander into colloquialism, making it stand out more when he does:

If Hitler was only bluffing about invading England, nobody told his generals.

I found this book to be a pretty easy read, even with the technical details. Worth a crack if you are interested in the particular craft rather than detailing the campaigns they were involved in, of which there are plenty.

[Bob Shepherd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this detailed, well presented history of the Spitfire and Messerschmitt aircraft of WWII.

[Steve Groves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written history covering the background, design and combat history of these two planes.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulously detailed journey from the design to the birth and sunset of these 2 iconic fighters of their time along with the journey with the pilot that flew and died in them. It takes you on a wonderful spin through time which leaves one wondering how come not many more of these planes were maintained for the future....

[Nick Pengelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant research. Brilliant writing. One hell of a gripping page-turner!

[Rick Chagouri-Brindle]

Excellent account of the pros and cons of these iconic WW2 fighters.