Spitfire Pilot (Transport) - Softcover

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 void they leave in the squadron with great poignancy.

Born in Huddersfield in 1914, David Crook joined the Auxillary Air Force in 1938. After the Battle of Britain he spoke of havig had 'the most exhilarating, exciting and yet tragic six months.' He was posted as an instructor but joined and Advanced Flying Unit in April 1944. He was killed in December 1944 whilst training in high-level photographic reconnaissance off the coast of Scotland.