{"product_id":"9781783969036","title":"Mitchell : Father of the Spitfire - The perfect gift for the history buff in your life by Paul Beaver","description":"`A triumph of historical narrative.' JAMES HOLLAND, author of Victory '45The 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 Europe's 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 Mitchell's 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   Drawing on new interviews, private archives and previously unpublished material, this is the story of a man who helped change the course of history - one of the great design leaders of the twentieth century.   ?Praise for Winkle:'[A] thumping great biography by Britain's leading aviation historian' Daily Mail, `Book of the Week''Winkle Brown's astonishing adventures make for fascinating reading' Sunday Times'Beaver recounts the story of a man he regarded as a mentor in unshowy but fascinating detail, and restores a British hero to his rightful place' Observer 'The extraordinary story [of] a fearless pilot and decorated war hero. Epic' The Herald'An incredible life ... Brown took a secret to the grave that makes his story all the more remarkable' The Sun\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Hardback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55897494159733,"sku":"9781783969036","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781783969036.jpg?v=1757000898","url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/products\/9781783969036","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}