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A review by komet2020
Spitfire!: The Full Story of a Unique Battle of Britain Fighter Squadron by Dilip Sarkar
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
SPITFIRE!: The Full Story of a Unique Battle of Britain Fighter Squadron is one of the best, well-researched, and comprehensive histories of a World War II fighter unit it has been my pleasure to read. The author had formed deep and longstanding relationships with many of the surviving pilots and ground crew who had been a part of 19 Squadron from 1938 - when the squadron became the first in the Royal Air Force (RAF) to be issued with the then new Supermarine Spitfire and went on to do a very thorough, effective job of integrating the fighter into active service -- to June 20, 1941, when 19 Squadron's commander, Brian Lane, was posted away to headquarters for a rest from combat.
Lane had first assumed temporary command of 19 Squadron in May 1940, following the loss of its previous commander, Geoffrey Stephenson, in combat above the French coast near Calais, where Stephenson was soon captured by the Germans. He earned the respect and admiration of his squadron mates for his fairness, modest manner, and proven leadership in action. Lane's first stint at command was a short one. He was succeeded by Philip Pinkham, a longstanding officer, who came to the squadron lacking combat experience. Sadly, Pinkham would be killed in action on September 5, 1940, caught in a crossfire created by German bombers he was attacking. Thereupon Lane was officially put back in command of the squadron and led from the front as often as possible.
The book does an excellent job, through the insertion of comments from the pilots, ground crews, wives, and RAF ground controllers who played key roles in 19 Squadron's history from late 1938, the 'Phoney War' phase from September 1939 to May 1940, combat over Dunkirk (where the British Expeditionary Force was being evacuated to Britain during those hectic days of late May to early June 1940 when a German victory seemed all but certain), and on through the Battle of Britain period, of conveying what life under the stresses and pressures of war was like on an individual level. This gives SPITFIRE! an immediacy that makes the events of 84 years ago less remote. There are also a generous amount of photos of the men, planes, and airbases that were so much a part of 19 Squadron during the early years of the war.
For any aviation enthusiast, this book is an absolute keeper. I gained a deep admiration, respect, and appreciation for those exceptional people who made 19 Squadron such an outstanding unit during the early years of the Second World War.
Lane had first assumed temporary command of 19 Squadron in May 1940, following the loss of its previous commander, Geoffrey Stephenson, in combat above the French coast near Calais, where Stephenson was soon captured by the Germans. He earned the respect and admiration of his squadron mates for his fairness, modest manner, and proven leadership in action. Lane's first stint at command was a short one. He was succeeded by Philip Pinkham, a longstanding officer, who came to the squadron lacking combat experience. Sadly, Pinkham would be killed in action on September 5, 1940, caught in a crossfire created by German bombers he was attacking. Thereupon Lane was officially put back in command of the squadron and led from the front as often as possible.
The book does an excellent job, through the insertion of comments from the pilots, ground crews, wives, and RAF ground controllers who played key roles in 19 Squadron's history from late 1938, the 'Phoney War' phase from September 1939 to May 1940, combat over Dunkirk (where the British Expeditionary Force was being evacuated to Britain during those hectic days of late May to early June 1940 when a German victory seemed all but certain), and on through the Battle of Britain period, of conveying what life under the stresses and pressures of war was like on an individual level. This gives SPITFIRE! an immediacy that makes the events of 84 years ago less remote. There are also a generous amount of photos of the men, planes, and airbases that were so much a part of 19 Squadron during the early years of the war.
For any aviation enthusiast, this book is an absolute keeper. I gained a deep admiration, respect, and appreciation for those exceptional people who made 19 Squadron such an outstanding unit during the early years of the Second World War.