Spitfire: The Legend Lives On (General Aviation)

This masterful work by aerial photographer John Dibbs and wordsmith Tony Holmes is an epic tribute to the Supermarine Spitfire and commemorates the 80th anniversary of the maiden flight of the prototype, the famous K5054. This is a great big book, suitable for the coffee table, and can consume hours of delightful viewing.The book traces the history of the Marks in a series of chapters that include the Mark V, the Mark VIIIs, an individual IXB, the PR (Photo Reconnaissance) series, the Packard Merlin and Griffon Spitfires, the Seafires and ‘Spitfire Spectacular,’ a paen of praise for a great collection of historical airframes flying today. The individual aircraft shown are remarkable in that material is included about many of the pilots who flew them in battle, including their head shots, and restoration data makes one realize what a great achievement it is to bring an aircraft ‘back from the dead’ after years or decades of being lost. The ‘From the Archive’ chapter at the end captures many great historical images (sadly, none is credited). An appendix includes further details. A brief bibliography (see below) is offered, along with an index.The photographs, as would be expected from an expert such as Dibbs, are magnificent and draw the reader in with their beauty and power. Many of the head-on shots, with the Spitfires rolling around the camera aircraft at steep bank angles, are magnificent and represent the ultimate in aerial photography. But, in context, what a pity that the authors did not include anything about the aircraft used for the photography, nothing about the camera(s) used nor any information about the techniques necessary to acquire the photos safely (aerial photography is notoriously unforgiving, unless you are Clay Lacy and have his costly Astrovision technology that permits many aspects to be captured).Sadly, neither Alex Hensdaw’s “Sigh for a Merlin” nor Stanley Hooker's "Not Much of an Engineer" is included in the bibliography, though both books belong there and in the libraries of those who genuinely care for the aircraft and its history, and references to them in the text are minimal. Hooker was the functional father of the Merlin and Griffon that powered the Spitfire and Seafire. These two, plus Jeffrey Quill ("Spitfire: A Test Pilot's Story"), probably more than any others, including ‘Mutt’ Summers, who flew the prototype for the first time but is not mentioned, were responsible for the successful development of the Spitfire. Nor are any side or three-view drawings provided, for example tracing the appearance from Mark to Mark—for this, the reader must go to Quill (pages 190-191 in the original Murray edition). In context, though the book mentions the markedly different exhaust notes of the Merlin and Griffon engines, one might long for a CD of those memorable sounds, such as that which Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason included in his book about his classic car collection. If a picture is worth a thousand words, so are memorable sounds (Merlin, Griffon).This fine book belongs in the library of anyone interested in seeing, in glorious colour, the history of one of the world’s greatest fighter aircraft.

I purchased this book as a reference for building models with the hope that I might learn about America's use of the Spitfire during WW II. I was not disappointed. The photographs are amazing and so is the written history. An amazing book for fans of the immortal Spitfire.

The book took individual Spitfires and told their stories/histories. Was well written and has very good detail not found in many Spitfire book.Good photography.Very enjoyable and informative reading.

Great, informative book. Arrived in a timely manner. Would buy from this vendor again.

Quality of the publication appears to be very good, Photography is terrific, Unable to give a 5 star review as I have not read it yet!.

Gorgeous photography of the most beautiful airplane, IMO, to ever grace the sky.

Superb photography, viewed all and passed it on to the grandson who loves airplanes as I do!!

Beautiful book, beautiful photography. A great birthday gift for my father's (who's an aviation fanatic) birthday.

Nature provides the most beautiful subjects to photograph that can take your breath away with magnificence or staggering vistas over and above anything made by man.Apart from one thing. The Supermarine Spitfire.Throughout history man has striven to create works of art that surpass anything that came before seen by man. All failed despite the best attempts of the artist. The one thing that has managed to capture the beating heart of creation has done so because it's single purpose was so focused that from the mind of an engineer came the vision that has captured imaginations of people for 80 years. It is simply the most stunning object ever made by the hand of a human. I've seen people with tears in their eyes when watching a Spitfire fly overhead at an airshow.No book can truly replicate the sight and sound of a Spitfire. But this book probably comes as close as can be to giving you the goosebumps you get when seeing one in the flesh. The photography is beyond stunning. It is truly magnificent. To be honest if I could take one photograph that was the equal of any of the many John Dibbs has taken once in my life I would be a happy man.As a book we have a wonderful mix of photography and information. We get the story of the Spitfire mark by mark and with each one a history of the surviving one with vivid photographs to go with it. It's a perfect combination of information and art that is a feast for the eyes and the mind.If you only ever buy one book about the Spitfire then this should be on your shortlist.

A beautifully illustrated book that should be in the library of every aviation enthusiast. The full size air to air photographs are in a word quite breathtaking. The forward is by Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum DFC the last surviving member of that elite group of men, the few, who defended our shores flying his Spitfire during The Battle of Britain.John Dibbs & Tony Holmes have done a magnificent job in assembling an unbeatable photographic record of this iconic aircraft from every angle by flying alongside & using a hand held camera in an open cockpit so that nothing comes between the camera lens & the subject.Consequently they give the impression that you are there flying with them.Highly recommended!

My dad is a bit of a Spitfire fanboy (with boy being used in the loosest possible terms as he is 84 this year!) and has many many books on the subject but nothing quite like this on. It really is a treat for any fan of the aircraft as the photos as just spectacular. It may not be cheap but it's very well produced and and real quality item that anyone who is into this beautiful aircraft will cherish.We knew this would be a great book as John Dibb's other one, Victory 1940, was fantastic. This one really does feature some unique photos of this stunning aircraft, and it comes highly recommended.

This was a gift for my father’s 87th birthday. Covid has profoundly damaged his body and mind and he is now in a Care home. This book brought a huge smile to his face and as he looked through the beautiful photos he started to talk about the different versions and became his old self for a while. Worth it for the illustrations alone.

Since 1996 when the John Dibbs/Tony Holmes partnership produced the classic “Spitfire Flying Legend” book a significant number of Spitfires have been restored to airworthy condition. In this lavish new volume, several of these machines (as well as old favourites such as MH434) are majestically captured in the air by the lens of Dibbs. His artist’s eye is clear to see – the shutter is only pressed when the composition is perfect. Whether it is a close-up “in your face shot”, a Spitfire caught in a dramatic cloudscape or a massed formation, the photographs are simply breath-taking. The emphasis here is very much on Dibbs’ contemporary photography although a large number of top quality wartime black and white images are also included throughout. Tony Holmes’ excellent text compliments the photographs and describes the histories of the illustrated airframes and the experiences of the pilots that flew them. The production/design quality is superb, with many photographic double page spreads and a truly epic Spitfire Spectacular Chapter showcasing some of Dibbs’ most iconic shots. This book is a must for anyone interested in the legendary British Fighter and its appeal should extend beyond aircraft enthusiasts to those interested in classic design and photographic art in general. The Legend truly lives on!