The Silver Spitfire
The Astonishing Life of a WWII Fighter Pilot in His Own Words
$24.37
- Paperback
336 pages
- Release Date
16 February 2027
Summary
Following the D-Day landings, Battle of Britain hero Tom Neil was assigned as RAF liaison to an American fighter squadron. As the Allies pushed east, Neil commandeered an abandoned Spitfire as his own personal aeroplane. Erasing any evidence of its provenance and stripping it down to bare metal, it became the RAF’s only silver Spitfire.
Alongside his US comrades, he took the silver Spitfire into battle until, with the war’s end, he was forced to make a difficult decision. Faced with t…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781399643450 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1399643452 |
| Author: | Wg Cdr Tom Neil, Tom Neil |
| Publisher: | Orion Publishing Co |
| Imprint: | Weidenfeld & Nicolson |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 336 |
| Release Date: | 16 February 2027 |
| Weight: | 240g |
| Dimensions: | 28mm x 130mm x 198mm |
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Critics Review
An icon of battle as well as one of the most successful pilots, Neil is uniquely qualified to tell a story that is both the ultimate military epic and also distinctly personal. * MILITARY TIMES *
An icon of battle as well as one of the most successful pilots, Neil is uniquely qualified to tell a story that is both the ultimate military epic and also distinctly personal. * MILITARY TIMES *
Tom Neil is one of the last of the Few * BEST OF BRITISH, DAILY EXPRESS *
Tom Neil is one of the last of the Few * BEST OF BRITISH, DAILY EXPRESS *
The first-hand, gripping story of Neil’s heroic experience as an RAF fighter pilot and his reminiscences with his very own personal Spitfire. * ROYAL AIR FORCE NEWS *
The first-hand, gripping story of Neil’s heroic experience as an RAF fighter pilot and his reminiscences with his very own personal Spitfire. * ROYAL AIR FORCE NEWS *
Amusing and enjoyable. * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
Amusing and enjoyable. * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
One of the great heroes of the Battle of Britain – JAMES HOLLAND
Wg Cdr Tom Neil
Tom Neil joined No. 249 Squadron flying Hurricanes just before the start of the Battle of Britain. He flew 141 combat missions, mostly from North Weald airfield in Essex, and is credited with the destruction of more than 17 enemy aircraft.
After the war, he remained with the RAF until 1964, retiring with the rank of Wing Commander. He served for some years in the British Embassy in Washington at the height of the Cold War, then returned to the US as a businessman before relocating to Norfolk, where his career included running an art gallery.
He is the author of many books, including his acclaimed memoir The Silver Spitfire. He and his wife Eileen, who was a Fighter Command plotter when they met during the war, were married for almost 70 years and had three sons, two of whom became pilots in the Services. Tom Neil died in July 2018 at the age of 97.
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