{"product_id":"9781783968534","title":"Father of the Spitfire: The Untold Story of R.J. Mitchell - Paul Beaver (Paperback) 03-09-2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e*   The gripping biography of Reginald Mitchell, the pioneer behind the Spitfire.   From the author of Winkle: The Extraordinary Life of Britain's Greatest Pilot   'A triumph of historical narrative.' JAMES HOLLAND, author of Victory '45       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   Drawing on new interviews, private archives and previously unpublished material, this is the story of a man who helped change the course of history - one of the great design leaders of the twentieth century.       'Britain's leading aviation historian' Daily Mail       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\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Ivybridge Bookshop","offers":[{"title":"Paul Beaver \/ Non Fiction - History \/ 03-09-2026","offer_id":57357006438780,"sku":"9781783968534","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0535\/2344\/8005\/files\/9781783968534.jpg?v=1787750448","url":"https:\/\/www.ivybridgebookshop.com\/products\/9781783968534","provider":"The Ivybridge Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}