The Supermarine Spitfire: The Mk V and Its Variants

The story of the Supermarine Spitfire has been told across many years and the debate about it is enduring, yet the Spitfire remains a true icon. For aviation enthusiasts, for historians, for modellers, the word Spitfire conjures many stories and affections. This book presents the Spitfire enthusiast with an up-to-date history of the Spitfire – not just in its design and application in war, but also as a flying memorial and as an aero modellers’ vital focus. The text examines recently revealed forgotten aspects of the Spitfire story; by combining the elements of design, the story of a weapon of war and a revered scale model, this book frames an essential chapter in aviation history. Packed with original and contemporary images and information, and displaying unique Spitfire model collections, the narrative bridges an important gap and is a worthy addition to the FlightCraft series. About the Author: Having trained in industrial design and automotive styling, Lance Cole became a motoring writer after winning the 1983 Sir William Lyons Award. His career in automotive, aviation and other writing genres has spanned 30 years, 100+ articles, over a dozen books and numerous broadcasts. He was a key figure in the global 'Save Saab' campaign. Time as a reporter in Asia and Africa allowed Lance access to rare driving and flying opportunities including crewing a 50-year-old flying boat across Africa, rallying and off-road adventures. He has undertaken design and development work for major car makers, has owned old cars since he was eighteen and, more recently, he co-restored an 1949 Allard. Lance has passions for France and the Australian outback where he often drives classic cars.