Spitfire's Forgotten Designer: The Career of Supermarine's Joe Smith - Softcover

Roussel, Mike

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0752487590 ISBN 13: 9780752487595

Publisher: The History Press, 2013

Synopsis

The Supermarine Spitfire was a classic design, well known for its efforts in defending British shores during the Second World War. However, while Reginald Mitchell is rightly celebrated for his original design of the Spitfire, the role of Joe Smith in the development of the Spitfire is often overlooked. Smith was an integral member of the design team from the earliest days, and on Mitchell’s death in 1937 he was appointed design office manager before becoming chief designer. Smith’s dedicated leadership in the development of the Spitfire during the war, as well as his efforts on post-war jet aircraft, deserve their place in history. Charting the fascinating history of Supermarine from 1913 to 1958, when the company ceased its operations in Southampton, shortly after Joe Smith’s death in 1956, this book tells its story through the eyes of apprentices and many other members of Smith’s team. Marvellous photographs add to the sense of what it was like to work under Joe Smith at the drawing boards of one of Britain’s most famous wartime aviation manufacturers.

About this title

About the Authors

MIKE ROUSSEL has previously written Spitfire’s Forgotten Designer: The Career of Supermarine’s Joe Smith for The History Press, as well as co-authoring Shipwrecks of the Cunard Line and The Union-Castle Line. He is an active supporter of Solent Sky Aviation Museum. He lives in Southampton

Captain ERIC BROWN, CBE, DSC, AFC, QCUSA, RN, was a former Royal Navy officer and test pilot who is listed in the 'Guinness Book of World Records' as holding the record for flying the greatest number of different aircraft.

Edition details

• Publisher: The History Press
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0752487590
• ISBN 13: 9780752487595
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 360