Last of the Ten Fighter Boys

by Jimmy Corbin

In 1940, against the backdrop of the Battle of Britain, 66 Squadron's commanding officer, Squadron Leader Athol Forbes, asked 10 of his pilots to record their experiences of flying one of the greatest aerial battles ever waged. The Ten Fighter Boys , published in 1942, comprised the first-hand accounts of pilot officers and sergeant pilots from all walks of life among them was Sergeant Jimmy Corbin, who wrote the third chapter. He was 23—old by pilot standards—and, like the rest of the squadron, based at Biggin Hill, Kent. Now, 60 years later, Flight Lieutenant Jimmy Corbin, Spitfire pilot, tells his extraordinary wartime story. He describes how an ordinary working-class boy from Maidstone was propelled into the thick of action in the skies over Kent during the summer and autumn of 1940. As the sole survivor of the original "Ten Fighter Boys," Jimmy's story is all the more poignant now that the men who fought the Battle of Britain pass from living memory.

Genres: Aviation, Nonfiction

252 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2007

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memoir of a Spitfire pilot who fought in the Battle of Britain and later in North Africa. I enjoyed his account of his working class background and hat’s off to the man’s courage. Not as well written as the brilliant First Light though which I’d recommend if the subject matter is of interest to you.

[David Lubin · Rating 5 out of 5]

How it really was

This is a very nice description of the life on one RAF pilot during WW2. It is not at all embellished and focuses on not only the fear and excitement of combat but the boredom, drudgery, miserable living conditions and terrible food. This pilot tells of his assignments during a five year period. It is lucky that he survived. Many did not. A good read for those who want to hear a more personal view of this experience.

[Oscar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jimmy Corbin was a Spitfire pilot. He just missed out on the Battle of Britain as he was still under instruction. However he was operational in 66 Squadron with only 29 hours flying time to his name in spitfires. He is stationed at Kenley in August 1940 when the Battle of Britain is at its height. Corbin gives a compelling and eloquent account of his life as a Spitfire pilot, first of all in England and then in North Africa. The daily occurrence of both elation and terror. The awful deprivations and boredom of life in North Africa. Moving tales of his friends, some of whom inevitably did not make it through the war. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the life of a fighter pilot during WW2.