Product Description

Alex Henshaw spent the early days of World War II at Eastleigh, England, testing the immortal Spitfire fighter with Jeffrey Quill before being appointed Chief Test Pilot at Supermarine's new factory in Castle Bromwich. Thousands of Spitfires were tested and manufactured at this site throughout the war, by the end of which 37,000 test flights had been made with Alex Henshaw flying an estimated ten per cent of all Spitfires ever built. Often landing without aids of any kind, his breathtaking aerobatic style and complete mastery of the aircraft were to save his life on several occasions.

I scrawled rapidly on my pad, 'Baling out - engine seizure - suspect piston conrod.' I had barely finished my scrawl when the machine shook so much that I tore my safety harness pin, pulled down my goggles to protect my eyes from oil, glycol and debris, snapped back the cockpit hood and with all my strength kicked away from the cockpit

Royalties from the sale of this edition will be donated to the RAF Benevolent Fund

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13498 in Books
• Published on: 1999-09-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Customer Reviews

How much we owe, and to whom.
A candid account of Alex Henshaw's leadership of the Castle Bromwich flight test pilots. Written transparently. The heroism of the test pilots, the remarkable quest for quality in the Spitfire, the aggressive sense of urgency in delivering both Spitfires and Lancasters for the defeat of Hitler and his perverted science, all are the more apparent upon reflection after having read this book. We are left to make our own deductions, and those deductions leave us with an abiding respect.

This account rings true. The lessons learned and the characters met are being learned and met today. A thoroughly enjoyable book to read, and one that will repay study.

With Grace we fly
This book should be read by all Spitfire lovers.This book can only be described as an enthralling account not of one test pilot but all.This man made one of the best contributions any single person could have made between the years of 1940-1945 to that of Spitfire Aviation. With a total of 37000 test flights and every one could have so easily have been his last. His product knowledge shines through as the sun shines through the clouds, and his acrobatic style and ease of which he flew these birds of the sky, saved his life on many occasions. Many people have said " The book I am reading at the moment is so good I just don't want to put it down", being a local man not two mile away from the Airfield I must agree. The man's precence can be felt around you as you are reading, you fly as he flies, panic as he does at the thought of a crash landing and share the sheer power of the plane. BUY IT ! You will not put it down.

Sigh for a Merlin
Alex Henshaw was a gifted and brilliant pilot of his time. If you have a soft spot for Spitfire's, Lancaster's amongst many other fantastic aircraft of the era then this book will be a simply brilliant read.
Very well written and very interesting, it will leave you with many thoughts on the subject for the most part encompassing WWII, and how inspirational individuals raised the moral and spirit's of an initially beaten nation to one of every single man, woman, boy ,girl, old, young - all did their bit for the War, and how each and everyone of them pulled in the same direction when it mattered most.
My family all served, and for my part I have served this fine country. This book is extremely interesting in that it shows what anyone who has specialised in any branch of the armed forces would recognise - that the civilian sector, namely the specialised industries - teach and enable the military to operate at a much higher level and understanding.
A brilliant book, don't think about getting it - just get it, it will be a book you'll be extremely happy with!