Malta Spitfire: The Diary of a Fighter Pilot (Greenhill Military Paperbacks) [Paperback]

George Beurling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2002 | Series: Greenhill Military Paperbacks

In the summer of 1942, twenty-five thousand feet above Malta, RAF Spitfires fought combat after bitter combat with clouds of German and Italian bombers and fighters. One of those Spitfire pilots was the Canadian George Beurling who, in fourteen flying days, destroyed twenty-seven Axis aircraft, damaged eight others and probably destroyed three more. Malta Spitfire tells Beurling's remarkable story and that of the outnumbered but dogged Spitfires which, day after day, climbed into the skies to defend the most bombed patch of land in the world. George Beurling was posted to Malta in 1942 and soon earned a tremendous reputation as a single-minded and determined pilot. He was gifted, prompting a superior to remark that µhe was a wonderful pilot; and an even better shot'. Malta Spitfire is a fighter pilot's story told by a fighter pilot sitting in the cockpit of his aircraft. The gripping narrative places the reader virtually at the controls of the plane, climbing to meet marauding Germans, diving down against bombers or dodging Italian fighters. This is aerial warfare in the words of one of its best exponents and a tale of skill and bravery in the face of tremendous odds.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

George Beurling was born in Montreal and joined the RAF in 1940. He died in 1948. Leslie Roberts was a writer and journalist.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Greenhill Books (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853674877
• ISBN-13: 978-1853674877
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,715,710 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #69 in Books > History > Europe > Malta

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exciting reading!, December 26, 2006

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M. Fonseca "carmarthen" (Thunder) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Malta Spitfire: The Diary of a Fighter Pilot (Greenhill Military Paperbacks) (Paperback)

George Frederick Beurling... Top-scoring Canadian ace of World War II... A guy bound only to fly, to fly at all costs, with almost total disregard for authority and RAF hierarchy. But not a "madman" by any standards. Instead, a precise, dedicated and cunning fighter pilot, a lethal weapon around the skies of Malta in the summer of 1942.

Sent back to Canada while convalescing after being shot down in October 14th, 1942, Beurling assignment was to help selling war bonds. During 17 days, he was interviewed by journalist Leslie Roberts and, in 1943, the result was published in this exciting book, which describes his flying career up to that point.

It's a fast reading, full of action, desperate struggle and death, but not a fictious one or an exaggerated one.

Unfortunately, after going back do England in 1943 Beurling never adjusted to the precise operational flying at Western Europe. Insubordination grew to a point that a fighter pilot with 31 1/3 confirmed victories to his credit was dismissed from the Service in October, 1944, with the war still going strong!

Flying was his only desire and Beurling enlisted to fly for Israeli Air Force in 1948. While flying a Norseman aircraft, he crashed during take-off from Rome. He died instantly at age 27.