SPITFIRE

To commemorate the Spitfire – maiden flight 90th anniversary

90 years ago, in March 1936, a brand new prototype British fighter took to the skies on its maiden flight. No-one involved could have realised the significance of the event or that 22,000 versions of the aircraft would play a vitally important part in world history in the next decade. The aircraft was the prototype Spitfire K5054.

The exact date of that all-important first flight of the Spitfire is open to question. The generally accepted date is 5th March 1936. However, Jeffrey Quill – the famous Spitfire test pilot who was there on the day and remembered it with clarity – stated categorically in his autobiography (‘Spitfire – A Test Pilot’s Story’) that the first flight took place on 6th March 1936. Not that the exact date really matters, but 6th March may have the edge.

A presentation copy dated Feb 1954 to Battle of Britain ace
Air Vice-Marshal H ‘Birdie’ Bird-Wilson CBE DSO DFC* AFC*

signed by
Supermarine Test Pilots 

Jeffrey Quill OBE AFC
Lt Cdr MJ ‘Mike’ Lithgow OBE
Flt Lt Les Colquhoun GM DFC DFM
Lt David Morgan MBE
+
Jack Rasmussen ~ Senior Design Engineer
+
Laid in label signed by ‘Birdie’ Bird -Wilson

Harborough Publishing Company First Edition 1946.  120 pages and full of superb photographic plates, diagrams, cut-aways.

Fine condition hardback book in blue boards with gold gilt titles. The dustjacket is in Very Good condition with a triangular area of loss at the top of the front panel and a smaller piece at the base of the spine. A really nice copy of this important volume.

This book, the first to be published on the Spitfire, tells the story of the aircraft from its conception in the mind of RJ Mitchell, to the time in 1946 when the last Mark was produced and it gave way to the Spiteful. 

From the first defensive action over the Firth of Forth to the last aggressive wartime sortie in the Far East, the Spitfire was there. Whenever the exploits of WWII are told, one name among all the aircraft of the Allies will always stand supreme – that name is SPITFIRE….

A unique book to enhance any aviation collection to mark the 90th anniversary of the first flight of K5054.