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By: 8th September 2015 at 14:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Spitfire Survivors, vol.I and II. Without having ever held one of the books myself, the research behind it and the execution has always impressed me. I should have bought them when I could.... :(
By: 8th September 2015 at 15:08 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Morgan and Shacklady. By far the most used book on my bookshelf, and an awesome piece of authoritative research.
Survivors I and II are pretty good too.
Gifts of War is THE work on presentation aircraft and along one of my pet areas of interest.
Spitfire International for where they all ended up once the RAF didn't need them any more.
By: 8th September 2015 at 15:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Can't argue with the Morgan & Shacklady. It's the definitive work.
Moggy
By: 8th September 2015 at 15:52 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Spitfire..Flying legend John Dibbs and Tony Holmes..the best collection of images with just enough historical content.
By: 8th September 2015 at 16:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Can't argue with the Morgan & Shacklady. It's the definitive work.Moggy
Absolutely agree. (Moggy I think that's a first?)
Survivors vols 1 and 2 are excellent reference for each survivor, but for the history of the spitfire design and its evolution Morgan and Shacklady is unlikely to ever be surpassed.
By: 8th September 2015 at 17:52 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-I do have all the movement card data on file.
The book I still reach for most often for basic information is:-
Spitfire -The story of a famous Fighter by Bruce Robertson.
First published in 1960 and revised in 1961 & 1973.
Mark
By: 8th September 2015 at 18:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Hi Mark.
I've not seen that one. How does it differ from Morgan & Shacklady and what content do you make most reference to?
By: 8th September 2015 at 18:08 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Spitfire the History, (Morgan and Shacklady), Schooldays to spitfire, (Gordon Mitchell) and Spitfire in detail ( Frantisek Koran, Vladimir Danda, Josef Martinek, Miroslav Khol) almost entirely photographs and very detailed ones at that.
By: 8th September 2015 at 18:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Morgan & Shacklady and Bruce Robertson's Harleyford book. It would take something to better either.
By: 8th September 2015 at 19:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Another vote here for Morgan and Shacklady. Spitfire - Flying Legend is a fantastic bit of pornography, too.
Survivors Vol 1 & 2 are great, also.
By: 8th September 2015 at 20:32 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Hi Mark.I've not seen that one. How does it differ from Morgan & Shacklady and what content do you make most reference to?
M.70.
Treat yourself, there are at least eight copies currently on ebay.
Mark
By: 8th September 2015 at 20:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-I have M and S and its the best reference on any single aviation subject I have ever seen, because of the sheer amount of data and info the authors unearthed and reproduced. HOWEVER the edition I own (first?) reads like a first proofing copy. It has terrible errors on every page - misplaced captions, repetitions, omissions, transpositions, even a whole chapter clearly mis-titled. Deeply frustrating, I found myself continually having to work out what the authors were meaning to say before it got scrambled. Still, worth it for the sheer volume of detailed information that's in there somewhere.
By: 8th September 2015 at 20:52 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-The book I still reach for most often for basic information is:-
Spitfire -The story of a famous Fighter by Bruce Robertson.
First published in 1960 and revised in 1961 & 1973.
Mark
Me too!
Along with the Morgan & Shacklady book, I'd say if push came to shove and I was allowed only two Spitfire books, these would be the two.
I have the 1973 edition with Mark12's list of the then currently known Spitfire survivors around the world.
I'd also recommend Bruce Robertson's 'Camouflage & Markings' by the same publisher, as well.
Cheers
Paul
By: 8th September 2015 at 23:41 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Thanks Mark
Which edition would you recommend? Plenty of 1960 & 61 available.
By: 9th September 2015 at 06:48 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Thanks MarkWhich edition would you recommend? Plenty of 1960 & 61 available.
The 1961 edition was the second reprint and just had a few corrections. I would go for that one.
The 1973 edition was just an update to the survivor listing taking it from a nominal 80 to 127.
Gosh! That was 42 years ago.
Mark
.
By: 9th September 2015 at 07:56 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Morgan and Shacklady #1 for sure, but also an honourable mention for The Spitfire Story by Alfred Price
By: 9th September 2015 at 08:03 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Morgan and Shacklady #1 for sure, but also an honourable mention for The Spitfire Story by Alfred Price
Oh, I forgot about that one! :eek:
I'd recommend that too, especially if you are into the handling and performance side of the Spitfire.
Cheers
Paul
By: 9th September 2015 at 19:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Thanks for all your replies, interesting to hear your points of view, much appreciated.
By: 12th September 2015 at 00:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Does such a book exist for the Hurricane? :)
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By: Sopwith - 8th September 2015 at 14:39
Just out of interest, what do forum members think is the best book that has been done on the Spitfire, and their reason for the choice, be it technical, photographic or whatever. Thanks