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Spitfire Singh: A True Life of Relentless Adventure
Their willingness to pay any price to uphold the honour and integrity of their Air Force meant an uphill battle against bigotry, difficult conditions of work and outdated equipment. However, showing tremendous fortitude, Harjinder and his men took the fight to the enemy and rose splendidly to the occasion. Be it the formidable Japanese, the mighty Germans or the resolute tribal warriors none could break the spirit of these airborne Indians.
It is a story of relentless adventure, journeying from the scrublands of the North Western Frontier, to the jungles of Burma, to the UK on the eve of D Day and to the corridors of power in an independent India. The resourcefulness of the Indians and their sheer skill and determination meant that they could overcome the myriad of challenges thrown at them, much to the surprise and dismay of some officers of the Raj.
It is a story of mutual respect forged and strengthened across lines of religion, caste, creed and race, as the Indian's undeniable courage and resilience won even the hearts and minds of their British counterparts and one man was the center of it all.
Harjinder's is a life of intense friendship, of great ingenuity and of hard-work and dedication, interspersed with the humor and merriment that is ever present in the military environment. It was a bottom to top career for the lowly Hawai Sepoy who went on to become one of the top officers of the IAF. He is credited with the endeavor to make the Indian Air force self-reliant and designed, built and test flew two different aircraft to prove his point. He was one of the driving forces behind making the Indian Air Force the 4th largest in the world, an astonishing feat given the twin challenges of nation building and partition.
Thus the only 'disgrace' to emerge from this book is how Harjinder's story could remain untold for so long.
It is a story of relentless adventure, journeying from the scrublands of the North Western Frontier, to the jungles of Burma, to the UK on the eve of D Day and to the corridors of power in an independent India. The resourcefulness of the Indians and their sheer skill and determination meant that they could overcome the myriad of challenges thrown at them, much to the surprise and dismay of some officers of the Raj.
It is a story of mutual respect forged and strengthened across lines of religion, caste, creed and race, as the Indian's undeniable courage and resilience won even the hearts and minds of their British counterparts and one man was the center of it all.
Harjinder's is a life of intense friendship, of great ingenuity and of hard-work and dedication, interspersed with the humor and merriment that is ever present in the military environment. It was a bottom to top career for the lowly Hawai Sepoy who went on to become one of the top officers of the IAF. He is credited with the endeavor to make the Indian Air force self-reliant and designed, built and test flew two different aircraft to prove his point. He was one of the driving forces behind making the Indian Air Force the 4th largest in the world, an astonishing feat given the twin challenges of nation building and partition.
Thus the only 'disgrace' to emerge from this book is how Harjinder's story could remain untold for so long.
515 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2017
6 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 31, 2019
I purchased this book to be a biography of a forgotten hero. Biography it is, but it is much more than that also. This book also covers the history and humble beginnings of IAF and how a bunch of dedicated nationalist had a significant contribution in laying the strong foundation of the IAF of today.
Harjinder Singh, joined the IAF as a lowly airmen and grew up to the position of Air Vice Marshal. He was the key person behind the success of IAF as he was the one who kept IAF aircrafts flying against all odds. If the IAF had exemplary track record in the aircraft serviceability duirng its initial days, it was only because of Harjinder Singh.
This book is a must read for all aircraft enthusiast and all aspiring leaders.
Harjinder Singh, joined the IAF as a lowly airmen and grew up to the position of Air Vice Marshal. He was the key person behind the success of IAF as he was the one who kept IAF aircrafts flying against all odds. If the IAF had exemplary track record in the aircraft serviceability duirng its initial days, it was only because of Harjinder Singh.
This book is a must read for all aircraft enthusiast and all aspiring leaders.
May 5, 2020
From Hawai Sepoy to first corporal to first flight sergeant to first warrant officer and to the first technical officer in Indian Air force...the career of Harjinder Singh is the most romantic one in any service anywhere in the world.
The book rather than being the biography of Harjinder Singh is more importantly the biography of a fledgling air arm born in the time of the British raj. The book pens down the painfully researched journey of the Indian air force and how Harjinder was part of it from the genesis right up to china debacle.
This is history at its very best.
The book rather than being the biography of Harjinder Singh is more importantly the biography of a fledgling air arm born in the time of the British raj. The book pens down the painfully researched journey of the Indian air force and how Harjinder was part of it from the genesis right up to china debacle.
This is history at its very best.
January 20, 2017
Wright brothers sitting in heaven must be still gloating over the fact that they decided to fly their aircraft and not delegating it to someone else, Or history would have remembered them as mere technicians.
Mostly irrespective of the country, Pilots are eponymous of Airforce, and everyone else is a sidekick. You will find many books on their adventures to cover the whole history of flying (Human canons not included we are only talking in reference of controlled flying here).Such is the adornment to a pilots profession that it overshadows everything else in aviation, it is correct in a way as they are the ones who are putting their lives on the line. However, there have been other legends in Airforce who are somewhat lost in time and should get their due reverence.One such hero was Air Vice Marshall Harjinder Singh.
When I bought this book, I was expecting it to be a story of a fighter pilot, someone who romanticizes speed, courage, and nationalism.I couldn't have been more wrong.This book throws light on the efforts of a man who kept the IAF flying against all the odds, whether for the love of aircrafts, country or perhaps just because his work ethics were such.By the end of the book, you will explore different layers of his Character.
It is interesting what repercussions a few decisions in Indian history have had on Indian Airforce. Credit goes to the writer for writing a biography which is not tilted for Spitfire Singh and is not repetitive which is a rarity with portraits of national heroes
Mostly irrespective of the country, Pilots are eponymous of Airforce, and everyone else is a sidekick. You will find many books on their adventures to cover the whole history of flying (Human canons not included we are only talking in reference of controlled flying here).Such is the adornment to a pilots profession that it overshadows everything else in aviation, it is correct in a way as they are the ones who are putting their lives on the line. However, there have been other legends in Airforce who are somewhat lost in time and should get their due reverence.One such hero was Air Vice Marshall Harjinder Singh.
When I bought this book, I was expecting it to be a story of a fighter pilot, someone who romanticizes speed, courage, and nationalism.I couldn't have been more wrong.This book throws light on the efforts of a man who kept the IAF flying against all the odds, whether for the love of aircrafts, country or perhaps just because his work ethics were such.By the end of the book, you will explore different layers of his Character.
It is interesting what repercussions a few decisions in Indian history have had on Indian Airforce. Credit goes to the writer for writing a biography which is not tilted for Spitfire Singh and is not repetitive which is a rarity with portraits of national heroes
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews