Mitchell: Father of the Spitfire

The gripping story of the pioneer behind the Spitfire told in a major new biography

Britain's leading aviation historian'Daily Mail

Reginald Mitchell is one of the greatest names in aviation history. A visionary engineer with a passion for speed, his legacy is the most iconic fighter aircraft of all time: the Spitfire.

During the uneasy peace of the 1920s, he was a trailblazing innovator working at the cutting edge of technology. As Europes politics darkened in the 1930s, the work of Mitchell and his team at Supermarine became crucial to a nation preparing for war. Though he did not live to see the Spitfire in action, his work led to triumph at the Battle of Britain and to a legendary aircraft that still inspires awe to this day.

In this exhilarating biography, Paul Beaver takes us behind the scenes, exploring the creative genius of a man devoted to pushing the boundaries of technology. We see his flair for leadership and collaboration with Rolls-Royce, the pinnacle of British engineering; we learn of Mitchells other innovative designs that could have changed the course of the war, had he not died in 1937; and, at last, we hear the real story behind the Spitfire.

Drawing on new interviews, private archives and previously unpublished material, this is the story of a man who helped change the course of history one of the great design leaders of the twentieth century.