In a combat career that spanned the entirety of the Second World War, the Spitfire earned a reputation as the iconic fighter that friend and foe alike wanted to fly. Affectionately known as the 'Spit', the aircraft played a vital part in helping to lift the morale of the British public at home during the Second World War, where many a donation of pots and pans was made to support Spitfire production. Yet it was the RAF pilots responsible for flying the Spitfire in combat who knew, respected and loved this aeroplane the best. In this book author Ken Delve re-examines the Spitfire's reputation using a wealth of important primary materials, including combat records, official trial reports and the personal accounts of those who flew the aircraft. The Story of the Spitfire charts the combat evolution of arguably the most important aerial fighting machine of the Second World War.

Ken Delve joined the RAF as a navigator and in a 20-year flying career served with many squadrons (Canberra and Tornado). On leaving the RAF he became Editor of FlyPast magazine and subsequently Editor-in-Chief with Key Publishing with responsibility for eight aviation magazines. He is now a training consultatnt in the Middle East. His books include Bomber Command, D-Day: The Air Battle and Night Fighter.