Customer Reviews

Spitfire - A Test Pilot's Story (Crecy Soft Cover Range)

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Langewiesche's brilliant STICK AND RUDDER now has a companion volume equally important to pilots: the outstanding SPITFIRE by Jeffrey Quill.
STICK examines, in clearly expressed and practical detail, the core elements of flight. SPITFIRE translates many of the same lessons into an absorbing, practical history of the flight test and development of one famous aircraft. It gives flesh and blood to the act of flight that is, at the bottom, a scientific endeavour. It also chronicles the behaviour and cultural anthropology of a nation at war, and chronicles the responses of able, energetic men and women who would not accept defeat. There isn't a dull page in it.
Quill writes excellently and candidly in an understated way, with a self-effacing sense of humour that is endearing. His grasp of technical detail is positioned and expressed precisely at the level of the general reader, not patronising to pilots and not over the head of those not skilled in the cockpit.
It might be easy to dismiss this book, describing flying work done half a century ago, as irrelevant to current aircraft and flying. That would be wrong. Every pilot who takes stick and rudder in hand and under foot should read this book, not just for the pleasure of it but because it conveys the hands-on realities of flying that most of us experience regardless of what we fly.
In fact, by describing a world of flight before many of today's electronic and physical 'aids' to flying, Quill reminds us of our roots and grounds us in flying's realities. Unless you are one of those who believes that flying requires autopilots and 'glass' cockpits, that flight plans and air traffic control are the crutches of cross-country flight, and that you do not need to comprehend the basic of flight to master a modern aircraft, this is essential reading.
This is a wonderful book of timeless value.

Mr. Quill outlines his life in aviation from the early 1900s until the advent of the early jet fighters, from the flying of which he had to retire from medical reasons. From 1936 until 1946, he was the main developmental test pilot of the Spitfire in all its 56 variants. This almost mystic aircraft still looks sleek and potent even now in the aircraft museums around the world. The subtle refinements of engine and airframe, along with the cure for alarming deficiencies, all are chronicled here, along with interesting autobiographical anecdotes. The British aeroplane industry indeed was a world beater in those years, and still some of the refinements used in the Spitfire could be yet applied to some later aircraft with good results. However, the interest of the industry went quickly to the jet, causing the grounding of Mr. Quill due to the time spent at altitude in unpressurized cabins. This book is an outstanding read for those interested in the evolution of aircraft, the achievement of excellence, and the drama of the Second World War.

(For an interesting "coincidence" of this review appearing elsewhere unattributed, see: [...] I have emailed the firm involved, and have "not received the favour of a response.")

If you have even the slightest interest in the history and development of the Spitfire, this Book, and 'Sigh for a Merlin, Alex Henshaw' are the only place to start. Both excellently written giving each authors account of their involvement in aviation and the Spitfire's development before and throughout WWII.

A fascinating read from a pilot who not only test flew all the Marks of this famous design, but also took it into combat. A not to be missed book by anyone interested in the development of R J Mitchell's superb WWII fighter.

A great story about a great man, well, just a boy really. I'm amazed how someone so young could train and fly a Spitfire in the Battle of Britain. His writings are well produced and not in the style of a hero. Just how these boys handled the stress is beyond me, many died and many, including the author, suffered mentally. Todays kids could do well to read this and see what is possible when one really works at it.