Spitfire Pilot is the exhilarating and moving memoir of D. M. Crook, an airman in the legendary 609 Squadron--one of the most successful RAF units in the Battle of Britain. Beginning with his fond recollections of his halcyon days in training--acrobatics, night flying, and languorous days spent playing sport--Crook goes on to recount in thrilling detail the dogfights, remarkable victories, and tragic losses which formed the daily routine of Britain's heroic aerial defenders in that long summer of 1940. Often hopelessly outnumbered, the men of 609 Squadron in their state-of-the-art Spitfires committed acts of unimaginable bravery against the Messerschmitts and Junkers of Germany's formidable Luftwaffe. Many of Crook's fellow airmen did not make it back alive, and the absence they leave in the close-knit community of the squadron is described with great poignancy. Spitfire Pilot offers a unique and personal insight into one of the most critical moments of British history, when a handful of men stood up against the might of the German Air Force in defense of their country.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Spitfire Pilot
This is a delightfully informative naration clearly describing not only every day life in the UK during the war years but also the appalling loss of life in the air.
It is hard to imagine the fear and extreme adrenaline rushes these pilots were exposed to and then to return to base at the end of the day and try to resume some normality in life....what an extreme contrast and emotional roller coaster.
This is a recommended read to all with an interest in aviation.
Rating: - The best one can buy
I purchased this book for research. I thought it a just a book to pick up on a few pointers for my writing project. I was instantly captivated by the author and his uncanny ability to put the reader in the cockpit. I promise you that this is an unusual story. It is about a great pilot, airplane, the men who flew them, the time that they lived in, and most of all a small band of deticated, beyond words, young men fighting a formidable enemy against unbelievable odds.
The author coveys well ... Read More
Rating: - Spitfire Pilot
The English have had a history riddled with war and bloodshed. In a war to end oppression and evil, one British pilot, David Crook recorded his memoirs of day to day life and illustrated the hardships of life during an era of uncertainty in a journal now published as Spitfire Pilot during World War II. This recollection of memories was some of the harshest battles the modern world has ever witnessed. From the famous Battle of Britain to the numerous long painstaking escort bomber missions over Germany, ... Read More
Rating: - The Best British Air Force Memoir of World War II
"Spitfire Pilot" remains the best British Air Force memoirs of World War II.
Flight Lieutenant David Crook tells the story of the British Auxiliary Air Force's 609 Squadron, which shot down 100 German aircraft during the Battle of Britain, killing some 800 Luftwaffe pilots and crewmen while losing only 13. It was units like these, from the Royal and Auxiliary Air Forces, manned with young pilots like David Crook that won the Battle of Britain, devastating the Luftwaffe.
- Spitfire Pilot
