Spitfire Pilot
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Spitfire Pilot
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Narrated by:
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Steven Crossley
About this listen
At the outbreak of the Second World War D. M. Crook, of No. 609 Squadron AAF, was at Yeadon, still undergoing his training; by the winter of 1939-40, he had his wings.
Successfully applying to return to his Squadron, then on defense duties in northern England, Crook began to familiarize himself with their new fighter: the Spitfire.
Soon they were posted to RAF Northolt, and it was at this time that Crook, much to his chagrin, was left grounded, undergoing knee surgery as they flew over Dunkirk.
Following the Allied evacuation from France, Crook returned to the air and found himself facing the relentless sorties as the skies above Britain transformed into a battlefield. In one particularly frank passage, Crook recounts how he mistakenly shot down a Blenheim, going on to illustrate how easy it was for pilots to misidentify aircraft.
Spitfire Pilot is a remarkable account of one officer's life in 609 Squadron during one of the most famous battles of the Second World War.
©1942 David M. Crook; Introduction copyright 2006 by Richard Overy; On 609 Squadron copyright 2006 by Sandy Hunter; Preface copyright 2006 by Rosemary Loyd (P)2018 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Spitfire Pilot
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Dan Slee
- 14-12-23
Before the first draft of history
Journalism is often called the first draft of history. This is before that. A decorated pilot the author was trained as a pilot before the Second World War started so was part of the much storied Few during the Battle of Britain. Much has been written about the subject. Richard Collier's 'Eagle Day' is excellent on the big picture and drew on sources while they were still alive. But David Crook's memoir written months after they events in question puts gives you a first hand account. It is, however, a product of its time. Crook is self-effacing and quick to praise others. He acknowledges but does not dwell on the loss of colleagues. But that's just it. If we're looking at a contemporary memoir that's not it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 14-07-23
The story of a very brave pilot.
I always enjoy stories about the RAF during World War II and found this book to be no exception. The descriptions of the aerial battles are riveting, and you have a very good impression of the dangerous through which these brave man went.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mr b m walsh
- 20-05-21
Great story.
loved this, Felt the narrator perfectly captured the atmosphere.
my appreciation for our hero's of that time has somehow manged to be increased on hearing Mr Crook's story. Forever grateful to them all!!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Richie P
- 15-02-23
B of B diary- enlightening
An excellent diary of one man and his squadron’s heroic battle. What comes across is the relentless sorties and also the loss of so many young men, some of whom had grown up together. Forever grateful to The Few.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Eddy A.
- 07-08-23
Fascinating book.
A very enjoyable, down to earth insight into the life of a WW2 fighter pilot.
It is very well narrated and once started, I found it very difficult to stop listening,
Highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jamie Mclaren-Smith
- 12-01-24
A brilliant book, engagingly narrated.
I’ve been through a through of these books now, the likes of Tim Vigors, Geoffrey Wellham etc. and this is another fantastic account of a fighter pilots life during WWII.
Fascinating!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nathan Turner
- 22-06-21
Great listening
absolutely loved it great insight to a fighter pilots life during combat ! ! !
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 15-06-23
one of the bettet pilot memoars of ww2.
Excellently told stor, with a flair for understatements. The human toll among pilots in the early years of ww2 were horrific. The dice were tossed every time one left the ground, whether combat or training flights. Individual skills played a part in survival, but surpricingly little. Countless great pilots were lost regardless. One tends to forget that memoars are usually told by the survivors. This story is an exception to the rule.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jen
- 03-12-20
superb account of squadron life
written as is was in 1940-42 in a front line squadron. like being a part of it.
brilliant.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kilrymont
- 23-05-23
Impossible - for me - to award less than 5*
Why? Just a feeling of respect for all these young lives snuffed out, who never had any of the chances that I've enjoyed - and to my shame sometimes squandered in the occasional stupidities of my own youth. I'm of a generation not called upon to serve in any military sense, so have for long been aware of a feeling of helpless gratitude to my father's generation. He and his twin volunteered for the RAF but neither were found fit for flight duties so had to be content with being service crew on a variety of aircraft. So very many shortened lives and young widows the result of the two major madnesses of the 20th century. Plus all the others, of course.
Despite these bitter lessons, people find reasons to take their countries into wars that are without exception - avoidable.
Witness Putin's nonsensical current outrage in Ukraine... seems that our species needs periodic outbreaks of the most obscene activity of all - choosing to make war - when talking as an option never kills anyone. If that can serve as an explanation for giving this a 5 star rating, it's my reason, and realised while still amidships in this audio that no other rating was possible for me.
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