The 'Real' Spitfire Pilot: Flight Lieutenant D.M. Crook DFC's Original Unpublished Manuscript - Hardcover

DFC, Flight Lieutenant D M Crook

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1399003364 ISBN 13: 9781399003360

Publisher: Air World, 2021

Synopsis

Flight Lieutenant David Moore Crook DFC’s original Spitfire Pilot stands as one of the most compelling first-hand accounts of the Second World War, and among the finest narratives from a Battle of Britain airman. A decorated ace, Crook flew during the intense summer 1940 air battles, but tragically did not survive the war; his Spitfire inexplicably crashed into the sea off Scotland on 18 December 1944. Married and a father, he was lost to history. First published under wartime conditions in 1942, Spitfire Pilot was comparatively uncensored, drawing on Crook’s hastily kept Stationary Office notebooks and his pilot’s log book. In 1990, historian Dilip Sarkar traced Crook’s widow, Dorothy, who uncovered bound copies of his original manuscript. The Real Spitfire Pilot presents Crook’s words entirely uncensored for the first time, offering a vivid and authentic perspective on the experiences—and sacrifices—of Spitfire pilots during Britain’s Finest Hour. With an introduction and conclusion by Sarkar and previously unseen photographs, this edition cements Crook’s account as an essential classic of wartime aviation history.

About this title

About the Author

Dilip Sarkar has now written over sixty well-received books. Having enjoyed a privileged relationship with many of The Few, he is a globally acknowledged expert on the Battle of Britain, currently working on a career-topping eight volume official history for The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust and National Memorial to The Few. Described by the late Dr Gordon Mitchell, son of the Spitfire’s designer RJ Mitchell, as an ‘aviation detective’, Dilip Sarkar did actually begin his professional life as just that – a police detective. His evidence-based approach and ability to discover new material is well-known – in 2023, for example, he was responsible for having Air Chief-Marshal Sir Keith Park, a New Zealander, officially recognised as one of The Few. Made an MBE for ‘services to aviation history’ in 2003, Dilip was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society in 2006, achieved First Class Honours in Modern History as a mature student in 2010, and in 2024 was made both a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and member of London’s Royal Air Force Club. During his long career, Dilip has exhibited and spoken internationally at such prestigious venues as Oxford University, the RAF Museum, IWM Museum, and Airborne Museum, Oosterbeek; he has worked on many TV documentaries, on and off screen, again internationally, and has an engaging presence on YouTube and Facebook in particular. For more information, please see www.dilipsarkarauthor.com

Edition details

• Publisher: Air World
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1399003364
• ISBN 13: 9781399003360
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 168