Spitfire: The Legend Lives On Book Review
By Davd L. Veres
| Date of Review | June 2016 | Title | Spitfire: The Legend Lives On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | John Dibbs, Tony Holmes | Publisher | Osprey Publishing |
| Published | 2016 | ISBN | 9781472815491 |
| Format | 224 pages, hardbound | MSRP (USD) | $45.00 |
Review
The next time Aunt Millie questions the aesthetic appeal of Supermarine’s legendary Spitfire, show her this celebratory study.
Spitfire turned 90 5 March 2016. And Osprey’s Spitfire: The Legend Lives On commemorates the milestone in stunningly colorful fashion.
Co-authored by John Dibbs and Tony Holmes, the hefty hardback spans ten chapters and 224 pages:
- The Early Marks
- Spitfire Mk V
- Spitfire Mk VIIIs
- MH434
- Spitfires in Blue
- Packard Merlin Spitfire
- Griffon Spitfires
- Seafires
- Spitfire Spectacular
- From the Archive
Can anyone say “coffee table volume”? Virtually every spread sports Dibbs’ stunning photography – all leavened by crisp, archival B&W images. Nearly everywhere, lithe, graceful Spitfires strikingly cavort among the clouds.
Take that, Aunt Millie!
Nor does it require sequential reading. I happily roamed from Griffon marks and early Spits to Mk VIIIs and Seafires – then everywhere else.
Sure, more substantive Spitfire studies exist – some by co-author Holmes. But few more colorful than this vivid volume. Best of all, Osprey’s lavishly illustrated effort offers the perfect antidote to all those ugly, angular Bf 109s – Aunt Millie’s favorite!
Recommended!
My sincere thanks to Osprey Publishing for this review sample!