80 years after the Spitfire was first developed it remains an icon of military aviation. Though many associate its victory during the Battle of Britain as the high point in the history of the Spitfire, the years following were of equal importance. Having weathered the initial storm, at the start of 1941 Fighter Command took the fight to the Germans with offensive missions over the Channel. This book reveals how first using the Spitfire I and II, and then following the introduction of the Bf 109 the cannon-armed Spitfire V, RAF squadrons embarked on a range of missions which included one of the most important air battles of the war, over Dieppe on 19 August 1942. Alongside British pilots were squadrons manned by exiled Europeans and pilots from the RAAF, RCAF and RNZAF. In just three years over 100 of these pilots were to rack up ace status in the Spitfire.

Author Biography

Andrew Thomas joined the RAF to fly straight from school and he has maintained his enthusiastic interest in the history and development of the Service from which he has recently retired. Specialising in the history of the RAF and the Commonwealth Air Forces, he has previously published more than a dozen volumes in the Osprey Aircraft of the Aces series. Chris Thomas has had profile illustrations published in Air Enthusiast, Aeroplane Monthly, Flypast and Le Fana de l'Aviation. He also illustrated the 2nd Tactical Air Force series with more than 90 profiles of the various types employed by that force. Producing the artwork for this volume will enable him to bring to bear his specialist knowledge of the markings and detailed appearance of the subject aircraft.