Spitfire

Organized chronologically and by type, Spitfire includes more than 40 of the best-known Spitfire variants to serve in combat, from the classic Mk I which fought Luftwaffe Bf 109s over the English Channel during the Battle of Britain, to the Mk IXs that fought in the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 and the PR Mk XIs that flew reconnaissance sorties against insurgents in Malaya in the 1950s. Every model of Spitfire is featured, from all theatres and in a variety of markings, including the British Royal Air Force, Canada, USA, Australia, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Poland and Czechoslovakia. Spitfire also features 12 large-scale gatefolds of key types, including the Mk V, with its upgraded Merlin engine, “Universal” C-wing design, and tropicalized air filter; the Mk XVIII, with its powerful Rolls-Royce Griffon engine and signature teardrop canopy; and the PR Mk XIX, an unarmed dedicated spy plane with specialist photo reconnaissance equipment and high-capacity fuel tanks for long missions. Each entry includes annotations detailing aspects of the aircraft’s technology, from powerplant and armament to weight, markings and performance.