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Spitfire Manual 1940
How to fly the legendary fighter plane in combat using the manuals and instructions supplied by the RAF during the Second World War. An amazing array of leaflets, books and manuals were issued by the War Office during the Second World War to aid pilots in flying the Supermarine Spitfire, here for the first time and using the original 1940s setting, they are collated into a single book. An introduction is supplied by expert aviation historian Dilip Sarkar. Other sections include aircraft recognition, how to act as an RAF officer, bailing out etc.
About the Author
Fascinated by the Battle of Britain since childhood, Dilip Sarkar remains both moved and inspired by the story of Churchill's fabled Few, those young airmen who stood between freedom and a Britain dominated by Nazi Germany. Since the 1970s he has met and interviewed more Battle of Britain pilots than any other historian. He has researched the subject thoroughly and has published over twenty books, including THE FEW: THE STORY OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN IN THE WORDS OF THE PILOTS ('A well-researched, detailed chronicle of the Battle of Britain - written by the men who fought so bravely to repulse the German raiders' HUGH SEBAG-MONTEFIORE), LAST OF THE FEW: 20 BATTLE OF BRITAIN FIGHTER PILOTS TELL THEIR EXTRAORDINARY STORIES ('Dilip knows more about me and the pilots with whom I flew during the Battle of Britain than we do! If anyone ever needs to know anything about the RAF during the summer of 1940, don't ask the Few, ask him!' GEORGE 'GRUMPY' UNWIN, Battle of Britain fighter ace), THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: THE PHOTOGRAPHIC KALEIDOSCOPE ('An excellent book' LADY BADER), BADER'S TANGMERE SPITFIRES ('A most diligent and carefully researched account' JOHNNIE JOHNSON, the RAF's top scoring fighter ace in WW2), FIGHTER PILOT ('This book deserves to achieve success' DAME VERA LYNN). In 2003, Dilip was made an MBE for services to aviation history, and elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society in 2006. He lives in Worcester.
The Kindle edition contains 40 black and white illustrations
About the Author
Fascinated by the Battle of Britain since childhood, Dilip Sarkar remains both moved and inspired by the story of Churchill's fabled Few, those young airmen who stood between freedom and a Britain dominated by Nazi Germany. Since the 1970s he has met and interviewed more Battle of Britain pilots than any other historian. He has researched the subject thoroughly and has published over twenty books, including THE FEW: THE STORY OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN IN THE WORDS OF THE PILOTS ('A well-researched, detailed chronicle of the Battle of Britain - written by the men who fought so bravely to repulse the German raiders' HUGH SEBAG-MONTEFIORE), LAST OF THE FEW: 20 BATTLE OF BRITAIN FIGHTER PILOTS TELL THEIR EXTRAORDINARY STORIES ('Dilip knows more about me and the pilots with whom I flew during the Battle of Britain than we do! If anyone ever needs to know anything about the RAF during the summer of 1940, don't ask the Few, ask him!' GEORGE 'GRUMPY' UNWIN, Battle of Britain fighter ace), THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: THE PHOTOGRAPHIC KALEIDOSCOPE ('An excellent book' LADY BADER), BADER'S TANGMERE SPITFIRES ('A most diligent and carefully researched account' JOHNNIE JOHNSON, the RAF's top scoring fighter ace in WW2), FIGHTER PILOT ('This book deserves to achieve success' DAME VERA LYNN). In 2003, Dilip was made an MBE for services to aviation history, and elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society in 2006. He lives in Worcester.
The Kindle edition contains 40 black and white illustrations
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 19, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 5, 2018
This volume is in fact a compilation of official Air Ministry documents, together with extracts from log books, combat reports a lectures given by Spitfire pilots. It is in short a fascinating collection of authentic material which gives a very good feeling for the time at which it was prepared, even down to the spelling mistakes in the original typescripts. There is a lot of technical detail of the aircraft and a history of its evolution from Mark I to Mark XXX or whatever. It was such a good airframe it lent itself to continuous upgrade.
As for flying the beast, I suspect it was a joy to fly once you got it off the ground, the torque of the single propeller and the 2000 hp from the Merlin engine must have made keeping it in straight line during take-off a nightmare, the nose had to be kept up, to avoid digging the prop into the ground, and the narrow under-carriage must have made landings quite difficult. That being said, once in the air the aircraft was very manoeuvrable and fast. More than a match for the ME109E.
Very much an iconic aircraft ,as evidenced by the examples to be found in air museums all over the world.
As for flying the beast, I suspect it was a joy to fly once you got it off the ground, the torque of the single propeller and the 2000 hp from the Merlin engine must have made keeping it in straight line during take-off a nightmare, the nose had to be kept up, to avoid digging the prop into the ground, and the narrow under-carriage must have made landings quite difficult. That being said, once in the air the aircraft was very manoeuvrable and fast. More than a match for the ME109E.
Very much an iconic aircraft ,as evidenced by the examples to be found in air museums all over the world.
November 2, 2025
Thanks to my father and his father, I’ve had a fascination with the machines of the Second World War since I was small. Especially the aircraft. When I spotted this book I knew I had to give it a go.
Spitfire manual 1940 is exactly what it says on the cover. A wonderful, condensed overview of the Aircraft’s original manual, training documents, logbooks and diagrams that the pilots would have had in their hands back in the 1940s. The book brings you right into the thick of it as if you were sitting in a pilots briefing learning how to fly the world’s most iconic fighter aircraft.
Broken apart with history about the aircraft and its design process, the book is super engrossing and incredibly detailed. From how to aim down sight and follow a target to how to fly in formation and understand the cockpit controls. Every page is dripping with info. Later in the book comes wonderful first hand accounts of dogfights and sorties to huge aerial battles and wild, unbelievable happens. And as it’s taken directly from the source, what you’re reading is exactly how it was written. Nothing is sugar coated. This makes for a effecting reading experience
My one issue is that the text is mighty small, which will be tricky for anyone with less than perfect vision. All in all this book is a wonderful, unique insight into the life of a WW2 Spitfire pilot.
Spitfire manual 1940 is exactly what it says on the cover. A wonderful, condensed overview of the Aircraft’s original manual, training documents, logbooks and diagrams that the pilots would have had in their hands back in the 1940s. The book brings you right into the thick of it as if you were sitting in a pilots briefing learning how to fly the world’s most iconic fighter aircraft.
Broken apart with history about the aircraft and its design process, the book is super engrossing and incredibly detailed. From how to aim down sight and follow a target to how to fly in formation and understand the cockpit controls. Every page is dripping with info. Later in the book comes wonderful first hand accounts of dogfights and sorties to huge aerial battles and wild, unbelievable happens. And as it’s taken directly from the source, what you’re reading is exactly how it was written. Nothing is sugar coated. This makes for a effecting reading experience
My one issue is that the text is mighty small, which will be tricky for anyone with less than perfect vision. All in all this book is a wonderful, unique insight into the life of a WW2 Spitfire pilot.
July 21, 2018
The chances of me ever flying a Spitfire are quite slim. The next best thing is a flight simulator on a home computer. This book gives nice tips on how to fly this beautiful machine. A very nice book alltogether, maybe just a little bit short.
June 14, 2016
“Spitfire Manual 1940” Edited by Dilip Sarker. 2010. This book is comprised of numerous facsimiles of leaflets that were disseminated by the Air Ministry during WWII as well as, as the title suggests, a manual for the Supermarine Spitfire MK IIA. Most of the articles are authored by experienced squadron leaders who share their battle proven techniques in aerial combat. Although a large portion of the book is devoted to the subject of deflection shooting, nearly every aspect of flying the Spitfire is touched upon.
March 28, 2013
just would love to fly one, brilliant book and ticked all my boxes..............tally ho ginger!!!!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews