Spitfire

by Jeffrey Quill

"I had a book of pictures of aeroplanes which I studied avidly. Occasionally - great excitement - real aeroplanes would fly overhead and my brothers and I would watch them intently until they were out of sight." Starting with lively descriptions of the Royal Air Force in the mid 1930s, Jeffrey Quill moves tells of his fascinating test flying experiences. In particular, he flight-tested every variant of the immortal Spitfire, from its experimental, prototype stage in 1936 when he worked with chief designer, R J Mitchell, to the end of its production in 1948. Using his first-hand experience of combat conditions fighting with 65 Squadron at the height of the Battle of Britain, Jeffrey Quill helped to turn this elegant flying machine into a deadly fighter aeroplane.

448 pages, Hardcover

Published February 1, 2010