Spitfire: Portrait of a Legend

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 Goring 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. Editorial Reviews Review 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.