The story of the Supermarine Spitfire has been told across many years and the debate about it is enduring, yet the Spitfire remains a true icon. For aviation enthusiasts, for historians, for modellers, the word Spitfire conjures many stories and affections. This book presents the Spitfire enthusiast with an up-to-date history of the Spitfire – not just in its design and application in war, but also as a flying memorial and as an aero modellers' vital focus. The text examines recently revealed forgotten aspects of the Spitfire story; by combining the elements of design, the story of a weapon of war and a revered scale model, this book frames an essential chapter in aviation history. Packed with original and contemporary images and information, and displaying unique Spitfire model collections, the narrative bridges an important gap and is a worthy addition to the FlightCraft series. AUTHOR: Lance Cole Ph.D. B.Sc. was the 1983 Sir William Lyons Scholar and has been an aviation and automotive journalist in the international media for over 25 years. A former columnist at the Daily Telegraph, Independent, and the South China Morning Post, he is also the author of 12 books, including Secrets of the Spitfire, VC10 Icon of the Skies, and The Classic Car Adventure. A trained industrial designer, he has flown light aircraft and gliders in Europe, Africa and Australia; Lance crewed a Second World War Catalina flying boat through East Africa in the 1990s during an adventure of a lifetime. He has enjoyed rides in fast jets and a two-seat Spitfire. Based in Britain's West Country, Lance writes for Pen and Sword Books Ltd on a regular basis. He feels that the Supermarine Spitfire may be the greatest icon of industrial design ever seen. colour illustrations throughout