The Silver Spitfire: The Astonishing Life of a WWII Fighter Pilot in His Own Words - Softcover

Neil, Wg Cdr Tom

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1399643452 ISBN 13: 9781399643450

Publisher: W&N, 2026

Synopsis

A brilliantly vivid Second World War memoir by one of 'the Few' Spitfire fighter pilots.

Readers say:
'An amazing story' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'An exceptionally good book' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Engagingly-written and fascinating' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Following the D-Day landings, Battle of Britain hero Tom Neil was assigned as RAF liaison to an American fighter squadron. As the Allies pushed east, Neil commandeered an abandoned Spitfire as his own personal aeroplane. Erasing any evidence of its provenance and stripping it down to bare metal, it became the RAF's only silver Spitfire.

Alongside his US comrades, he took the silver Spitfire into battle until, with the war's end, he was forced to make a difficult decision. Faced with too many questions about the mysterious rogue fighter, he contemplated increasingly desperate measures to offload it, including bailing out mid-Channel. He eventually left the Spitfire at Worthy Down, never to be seen again.

The Silver Spitfire is the first-hand, gripping story of Neil's heroic experience as an RAF fighter pilot and his reminiscences with his very own personal Spitfire.

About this title

About the Author

Tom Neil joined No. 249 Squadron flying Hurricanes just before the start of the Battle of Britain. He flew 141 combat missions (few pilots reached 50), mostly from North Weald airfield in Essex, and is credited with the destruction of more than 17 enemy aircraft. He went on to see further combat in Malta before returning to lead a squadron flying Spitfires over the Channel and elsewhere during 1943. Attached to the American 9th Air Force in 1944, he took part in the invasion of Normandy and remained with the USAAF until the border of Germany was reached.

After the war, he remained with the RAF until 1964, retiring with the rank of Wing Commander. He lectured at the prestigious School of Air Support, before spending four years as a Service Test pilot, where he flew over 100 aircraft types and participated in the development of pressurised flight suits.

Having served for some years in the British Embassy in Washington at the height of the Cold War, he returned to the US as a businessman before relocating to Norfolk, where his career included running an art gallery. He is the author of many books, including his acclaimed memoir THE SILVER SPITFIRE. He and his wife Eileen, who was a Fighter Command plotter when they met during the war, were married for almost 70 years and had three sons, two of whom became pilots in the Services. Tom Neil died in July 2018 at the age of 97.

Edition details

• Publisher: W&N
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1399643452
• ISBN 13: 9781399643450
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336