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    Spitfire Pilot
    Spitfire Pilot
    Spitfire Pilot
    Audiobook4 hours

    Spitfire Pilot

    Written by Flight-Lieutentant David M. Crook, DFC and Richard Overy

    Narrated by Steven Crossley

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    At the outbreak of the Second World War D. M. Crook, of No. 609 Squadron AAF, was at Yeadon, still undergoing his training; by the winter of 1939-40, he had his wings.

    Successfully applying to return to his Squadron, then on defense duties in northern England, Crook began to familiarize himself with their new fighter: the Spitfire.

    Soon they were posted to RAF Northolt, and it was at this time that Crook, much to his chagrin, was left grounded, undergoing knee surgery as they flew over Dunkirk.

    Following the Allied evacuation from France, Crook returned to the air and found himself facing the relentless sorties as the skies above Britain transformed into a battlefield.

    In one particularly frank passage, Crook recounts how he mistakenly shot down a Blenheim, going on to illustrate how easy it was for pilots to misidentify aircraft.

    Spitfire Pilot is a remarkable account of one officer's life in 609 Squadron during one of the most famous battles of the Second World War.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateApr 17, 2018
    ISBN9781977379351

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    Reviews for Spitfire Pilot

    4.5/5

    26 ratings2 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      It just didn't quite hold my attention span. If you are more into fighter planes then I highly recommend.
    • 5/5
      The Polish 609th Squadron-founded in 1919 by Merian C Cooper as the 7th Koscuiszko Squadron - all US/Canadian WWI aviator volunteers in defense of POLAND during the Polish-Bolshevik War of 1920- was a formidable adversary and outsmarting Nazi fighter planes during the Battle of London in 1940.

      This is a cherish testament to their undaunted bravery, an “in the cockpit” realism of Spitfire dog fight strategy that required split second reflexes, and remembering those who gave their lives in fighting back the Nazi aerial onslaught.

      I can attest to the sacrifice made: attending a private British school; all my teachers(Latin, English, Math, History and Drama Theater) were Spitfire veterans of WWII. They never talked about it, which I regret. But we knew what price they paid to save Britain from Nazi invasion.

      So this story fills in gap if their own stories.

      Moreover I deeply appreciated reading this personal account as my headmaster-Mr. Oaks, a decorated Spitfire fighter pilot- had been shot down 7 times; captured twice-only to escape back to Britain from German captivity in occupied France to fight another day.

      His badly scared facial burns was a testament to his bravery. He was the kindness man and best methodical math teacher I ever knew.

      Not only is the Spitfire a fighter plane legend in its own right, the 609th Pilots are equal in honorary stature in knowing how to maximize the Spitfire’s optimal capabilities-pushing the plane to its limits in dog fight skirmishes.

      So this is a must read.