The Supermarine Spitfire

Dilip has been fascinated by the Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft for a lifetime. For over twenty-five years this obsession has manifested itself in a serious study of this iconic machine’s history. Throughout this time Dilip has interviewed and corresponded with hundreds of former Spitfire pilots, enabling his books to be punctuated by gripping first-hand accounts. Particularly moved by the stories of casualties, Dilip has not only provided a platform from which the ‘unknown’ survivors have been able to share their experiences, but also preserved the likeness and memories of numerous young fighter pilots who failed to return.

In February 2011, I started my PhD at the University of Worcester. My chosen topic – ‘Supermarine Spitfire "Legend" in British Popular Culture 1936 - 2011.’ – seeks to contextualise the Spitfire in cultural history from creation to the present day. As such this will be the first scholarly attempt to do so and will, therefore, represent an important academic contribution to Spitfire historiography.

Dilip’s Spitfire Voices: Life as a Spitfire Pilot in the Words of the Veterans was published by Amberley in 2010, featuring the often dramatic and always moving stories of twenty-two Spitfire pilots. The work is profusely illustrated with photographs from the pilots’ personal collections.

Also published in 2010 was Dilip’s The Spitfire Manual 1940. This features original wartime documents, including Pilot’s Notes, Pilots’ Personal Combat Reports, extracts from the Flying Logbook of the top-scoring RAF fighter pilot in World War Two, Air Vice-Marshal Johnnie Johnson, and much more besides.

Dilip ground-breaking work, How the Spitfire Won the Battle of Britain, places the Spitfire’s contribution in accurate historical context. Driven by evidence and not either emotion or a blind acceptance of established myth and legend, this work is likely to stimulate lively debate. Once again, this exceptional historian, described by the late Dr Gordon Mitchell, son of the Spitfire’s designer Reginald Joseph Mitchell, as an ‘aviation detective’, has contributed a new interpretation and fresh historiography.

Dilip provides lively presentations on many aspects of Spitfire history, specialising, as ever, in the human experience of flying and fighting in this superb aircraft. For further details of his Spitfire Voices Presentation, please contact Dilip directly.

Forthcoming new Book - Dilip's long awaited Johnnie Johnson Biography - Spitfire Ace of Aces

Dilip Sarkar, aged eight – already fascinated by the Spitfire, this was the first actual aircraft he ever saw!

Reunited with that very Spitfire – P7350 of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – 41 years later at RAF Coningsby
on the 70th Anniversary of Battle of Britain Day: September 15th 2010.

Just one of the tragic casualties of World War Two: Sergeant Peter Rose, lost over Belgium in 1941 flying a Photographic Reconnaissance Spitfire.
His story is told in ‘Spitfire Voices’.

Pilot Officer Roger Boulding of 74 Squadron, pictured at Gravesend in 1941. Having survived the Battle of Britain,
Roger was shot down over France and captured the following year. His story also appears in ‘Spitfire Voices’.

The iconic Supermarine Spitfire, photographed by Karen Sarkar at the highly recommended Kemble Air Show in June 2010.

Merlin powered Spitfires are Dilip’s favourites:
a superb ground study of Spitfire Mk IIA P7350, in 92 Squadron colours, on the 70th Anniversary of Battle of Britain Day.

Dilip provided the Battle of Britain and Spitfire related commentary at Kemble Air Show –
the happy author is pictured here in the box with veteran commentator Trevor Graham.

Dilip’s oral history of the Spitfire - published by Amberley in 2010.Dilip’s fascinating collection of contemporary Spitfire related documents -
published by Amberley in 2010

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Dilip’s thoroughly researched argument accurately contextualising the Spitfire’s true place in Battle of Britain history for the first time –
published by Amberley in 2010.