Product Description

"Spitfire Pilot" was written in 1940 in the heat of battle when the RAF stood alone against the might of Hitler's Third Reich. It is a tremendous personal account of one of the fiercest and most idealised air conflicts - the Battle of Britain - seen through the eyes of a pilot of the famous 609 Squadron, which shot down over 100 planes in that epic contest. Often hopelessly outnumbered, in their state of the art Spitfires, Crook and his colleagues committed acts of unimaginable bravery against the Messerschmidts and Junkers. Many did not make it and the author describes the absence they leave in the squadron with great poignancy. "Spitfire Pilot" is justly regarded as one of the classics of WWII and this new paperback edition, 66 years on, includes an introduction by the historian Richard Overy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19858 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Review
...a tremendous personal account of one of the fiercest and most famous air conflicts seen through the eyes of a pilot of No.609 Squadron - and an impressive first-hand account of a wartime fighter pilot in Britain's darkest hours.

Crook and his colleagues committed acts of unimaginable bravery against the German aircraft. Many did not make it and the author describes the ansence they leave in the squadron with great poignancy. His descriptions of aerial conflict will rarely be bettered. --Magazine

'A brilliant first-hand account of the life of a fighter pilot before and during the Battle of Britain.' --Spectator

'A unique personal insight into one of the crucial periods of the war ... I cannot recommend this highly enough.' --World War II Magazine

Review
...a tremendous personal account of one of the fiercest and most famous air conflicts seen through the eyes of a pilot of No.609 Squadron - and an impressive first-hand account of a wartime fighter pilot in Britain's darkest hours.

Crook and his colleagues committed acts of unimaginable bravery against the German aircraft. Many did not make it and the author describes the ansence they leave in the squadron with great poignancy. His descriptions of aerial conflict will rarely be bettered.

Customer Reviews

A thrilling, yet poignant read
Although not quite as good or anywhere near as long as First Light by Geoffrey Wellum, I couldn't put this book down and, as with Geoffrey Wellum's excellent book, was sorry to finish it. They both paint a very vivid picture of what it was to be a fighter pilot in run up to the summer of 1940. The wonderful freedom and exhilaration they felt during training, the edge of the seat descriptions of aerial combat and their extremely moving thoughts when one of them fails to return - in Spitfire Pilot there seems so many.

Spitfire Pilot ended far too quickly unfortunately, as did the life of it's author, which is what makes this such a poignant read.

One of the Lesser Known Few
By the time of his death in action later in the war, David Crook was credited with 12 confirmed victories. His book is evocative of the immediate period of the Battle of Britain. Not one of the better-known aces or Wing Leaders, Crook's book reads as a diary, though how he had the time or energy to do so at the time beggars belief. Basically it is the story 'from the cockpit' and reads all the better for it. I commend it to all serious students of the Battle of Britain.

Memorable Battle of Britain memoir
David Crook's "Spitfire Pilot" has deservedly been republished so that a new generation of readers can enjoy his fine memoir. This is an engaging read and Crook's likeable personality is apparent throughout. "Spitfire Pilot" is a great look at the life of a Battle of Britain pilot, with expert descriptions of the exhilaration and terror of air combat, the sadness of loss, and all aspects of life of an active fighter pilot at this pivotal point of British history. A great read and one which will be enjoyed by aviation enthusiasts and the curious alike.