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Brian Lane
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Spitfire!: The Experiences of a Battle of Britain Fighter Pilot Kindle Edition

by Brian Lane (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 out of 5 stars 2,999 ratings

“What is it like up there?”



Spitfire first became a household word during the Blitz, but it was not the first service the valiant aircraft had performed.

At Dunkirk a year earlier, pilots had provided aerial support as the allied forces began their evacuation from France.

In an attempt to answer the questions of the man on the street, Brian Lane, who wrote under the pseudonym of B. J. Ellan, tells of what it is that a fighter pilot thinks and feels when he is fighting in the skies, from the sunlit coast of Belgium to the lovely countryside of Kent.

Having been with the squadron since the beginning of the war, as a flight commander and C.O., the character and bravery of the men he knew and served with are deftly rendered.

Self-deprecating and richly detailed, Spitfire! is a classic Battle of Britain memoir, and one of only a few to be published in that dramatic period of history.

Brian Lane (1917-1942), was an R.A.F. officer, fighter pilot and author. He was awarded the D.F.C. for bravery during the evacuation of Dunkirk, and his abilities were recognised in his promotion to Squadron Leader in September 1940. In December 1942 he failed to return from a mission over the North Sea; he was 25.
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  1. Print length
    108 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    December 22, 2015
  5. File size
    1.6 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B019S32ESK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lume Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 22, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.6 MB
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 108 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars 2,999 ratings

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Brian Lane

Brian Lane

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Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
2,999 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book well worth reading, with detailed and insightful accounts of individual battles. Moreover, the writing is easy to read, written during the war, and customers appreciate the courage of the pilots described. Additionally, they value the pacing, with one customer noting it provides a glimpse of life as a fighter pilot. The book receives positive feedback for its credibility.

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ReadabilityDescriptionStory qualityWriting qualityCouragePacingCredibility
96 customers mention "Readability"88 positive8 negative

Customers find the book well worth reading, describing it as amazing and fun to read, with one customer noting it's a good memoir.

"...Fast book to read, never boring. If this book were to be written today, I would expect a much broader story that included the inception of..." Read more

"...things got a little repetitive at the end, I think it was pretty good for a memoir written while the war was still going on...." Read more

"This is a must read book by a Spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain when Germany was sending waves of bombers and fighters from France and..." Read more

"...It is a very good book that should be read by everyone interested in this period." Read more

53 customers mention "Description"43 positive10 negative

Customers appreciate the book's detailed and insightful accounts, with one customer highlighting its excellent understanding of the Spitfire and another noting its valuable personal perspective.

"Set as actual pilots memoir. His attitudinal shift toward the enemy is interesting...." Read more

"This was very personal, in that you had the account of an average fighter pilot describing his days...." Read more

"...However, you get a good idea of the no nonsense, duty oriented attitude of the persons then. No whiney primadonas or gripers. No blowhards...." Read more

"...His account is mercifully free of self agrandisement or propaganda and represents the closest subsequent generations can come to understanding how..." Read more

51 customers mention "Story quality"42 positive9 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, describing it as a fantastic piece of history and an excellent Spitfire narrative, with one customer highlighting its vivid depiction of the London blitz.

"This is a true story written by a Spitfire pilot who lived what he wrote...." Read more

"Interesting account of several days & weeks of what it was like in a Spitfire in the air over England during WW2." Read more

"...It is an interesting story that is well written ." Read more

"...All the while maintaining a compelling narrative, balancing the personal stories of the pilots on the ground and in the air...." Read more

35 customers mention "Writing quality"32 positive3 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting it is well written and easy to read, with one customer mentioning it was written during the war.

"...Although its prose is English public school impeccable (for the most part) itis burdened with that annoying wartime conceit of referring to people..." Read more

"This is a very insightful book written by a RAF Spitfire pilot who was part of the group who successfully defended Britain through the crucial..." Read more

"Brian Lane is a fine writer and a keen observer...." Read more

"...So we get a story told as experienced at that time, it was well written and I am sorry he did not make it." Read more

16 customers mention "Courage"16 positive0 negative

Customers admire the courage of the pilots described in the book, with one review highlighting their fearless and confident nature, while another notes their duty-oriented attitude.

"...However, you get a good idea of the no nonsense, duty oriented attitude of the persons then. No whiney primadonas or gripers. No blowhards...." Read more

"...Brian Lane comes across as a dedicated, self deprecating and courageous man...." Read more

"...Truly fascinating account of true heroes, the courage they had in spades, and the sacrifices they made without hesitation for all of us." Read more

"This work was written during the war and although the aircrew are portrayed as brave courageous and dying to take to the enemy, it somehow never..." Read more

13 customers mention "Pacing"13 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with one review noting it provides an insightful look into combat flying, while another describes it as a descriptive account of air combat.

"...Detailed account of a wartime Spitfire pilot. You get a sense of squadron life and combat flying reading the narrative written in 1940 and 1941...." Read more

"Interesting portrayal of a combat pilot from the perspective of the British side of the war against the German Luftwaffe" Read more

"What I enjoyed about it was that he explained flying techniques as he was flying against the enemy and it was written as the war was going on not..." Read more

"Interesting not great, you can get a glimpse of life of a fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain" Read more

7 customers mention "Credibility"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book credible, with one review noting its technically accurate content and nice mix of facts.

"Insider's view. Author comes across as very humble, so accounts seem highly credible." Read more

"Very well written and honest account of a Spitfire pilot in the first year of WWII...." Read more

"Ring of veracity. Captures the era." Read more

"...Well written and technically accurate, Anne thoroughly researched. Highly recommended, good addition to my collection." Read more

BRIAN LANE REMEMBERED
3 out of 5 stars
BRIAN LANE REMEMBERED
Brian Lane was one of the great Battle of Britain pilots who was lost too early in the game. A good read. Not a work of writing skills, but a pleasant story as it happened.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars realistic
    Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Set as actual pilots memoir. His attitudinal shift toward the enemy is interesting. Near the beginning of the battle he is sympathetic to the plight to the crew of the crippled Dornier but he hardens up as it goes on until he is gleeful at shooting down as many as possible. He also explains why so many aggressive WWII pilots just returned to civilian life after their tour of duty was over. The depersonalization
    of war.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kratz
    5.0 out of 5 stars First hand account,
    Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This was very personal, in that you had the account of an average fighter pilot describing his days. Some were just ordinary days, not much to tell, and other pilots in other aerodromes had more exciting stories. But I think I got a good account of a typical pilot's average day.
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  • David Murphy
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good book with limitations
    Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Hard book to review. The author wrote the book as a memoir while WWII was apparently still in progress. If I stopped my assessment there, I would say he made a good job of it. In fact, for an amateur author, he made a really good job of it. Fast book to read, never boring.
    If this book were to be written today, I would expect a much broader story that included the inception of the Spitfire and Hurricane designs, their engineering challenges, the steps needed to ramp up production. The book doesn't mention the importance of radar or the Chain Home Link network -- probably because all of that was still Top, Top Secret.
    So if the reader is okay reading the book and accepting its design limitations, and it only cost me $2.95 on Amazon, then I would recommend it. It may just be personal taste that I had thought it would be more extensive.
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  • gregg g
    4.0 out of 5 stars Everyday life of a Spitfire pilot.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Although things got a little repetitive at the end, I think it was pretty good for a memoir written while the war was still going on. The writer was recording a time when Hitler still seemed to be winning the war. However, you get a good idea of the no nonsense, duty oriented attitude of the persons then. No whiney primadonas or gripers. No blowhards. Everyone modest about their contribution. The Brits of that time didn't seem to display the arrogance and mouthiness of people today. You also get many details about how it was to fly the Spit in combat. For anyone interested in these events, this book is a bargain.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Jim, Stuart, FL
    5.0 out of 5 stars Tales of a Spitfire Pilot During the Battle of Britain
    Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This is a must read book by a Spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain when Germany was sending waves of bombers and fighters from France and Belgium over to bomb the British. England's primary defense were pilots of spitfires and hurricanes who destroyed so many enemy planes that the Germans finally gave up sending their planes to meet their death. These brave British pilots won the battle of Britain causing Prime Minister Winston Churchill to famously remark that "never in the history of human conflict have so many owed so much to so few!"
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  • Bleusharque
    3.0 out of 5 stars Your basic wartime Spitfire story.
    Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Lacking the perspective of the post-war, this is a very personal, inward-directed account. There is no personal or technical insight into the Spitfire (perhaps that was prohibited at the time), and no historical context (perhaps events were too fresh for that) to give a sense of "surround ."

    Although its prose is English public school impeccable (for the most part) itis burdened with that annoying wartime conceit of referring to people as "Flt/sgt ____" and "the well-known aerodrome at _____." Couldn't a post-war editor intervene, since at least the geographic references are pretty clear?

    That said, this book must be judged for what it is: A limited invitation to experience what it was like to be a Spitfire pilot, during the Battle of Britain, before realizing its significance.

    Thus if an account of Spitfire operations, delivered authentically in time and place, is to your liking, then "Spitfire!: The Experiences..." is worth your read.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • D. T. Gomez
    2.0 out of 5 stars boring hollywood style recollection of dramatic historical events
    Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    The way the autor reflects on his experiences, remind me of comic book war stories. To portray the dramatic events of the Battle of Britain as little more than a gentleman's game, where dead enemies are tallied as wickets in a cricket match, is almost offensive to those fallen on either side. I have read many historical books on this particular event of world war II, and this one ranks among the worst,.
    The only thing that can be said on the author's benefit ,is that he was just a young lad writing this shortly after the events occurred, He may be excused for his literary style and narrative, but that doesn't make the book one bit more interesting.
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  • Tdearing
    4.0 out of 5 stars RAF Spitfire Pilot First Hand Account
    Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This is a very insightful book written by a RAF Spitfire pilot who was part of the group who successfully defended Britain through the crucial German blitz. It is a fairly brief account and unfortunately the pilot lost his life during the following year. It is a very good book that should be read by everyone interested in this period.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Julio Moreira
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente
    Reviewed in Brazil on August 25, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    O autor descreve de maneira apaixonada, envolve e fluída, seus dias como piloto de caça no esquadrão 609 da RAF.
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars A stirring account of being a fighter pilot
    Reviewed in Australia on March 10, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I found the story gave me a more personal understanding of the feelings that pilots had in fighting the enemy and at times I felt that I was flying with them. Most enjoyable. Highly recommended.
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  • Christa
    5.0 out of 5 stars Spitfire book
    Reviewed in Canada on September 2, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Bought as a gift for my dad who loves planes and he loved this book!
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  • chris von
    5.0 out of 5 stars à lire
    Reviewed in France on September 19, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    tres bien à lire pour les passionnés de cet époque pas de grands combats épiques mais une plongée dans l'ambiance d'une escadrille du début de la deuxième guerre mondiale
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  • Paul Lindstrom
    5.0 out of 5 stars Blast from the past
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A real "blast from the past". The book was written just after the Battle of Britain, based on Brian's notes, jotted down between sorties. Tragically he died shortly after, in late 1942, on a meaningless "rhubarb", the codeword for a patrol over enemy territory, without any specific objective. He writes with great wit, in a language which is free of the afterthought that is typical of books written long after the war was over, in hindsight. A brave, clever, and generous man, who didn't live to see the result of his and his fellow pilots achievements. When first published, the names of the pilots and airfields was encoded, but thanks to the research by Dilip Sarkar, this has now been decoded for a more meaningful read. Mr Sarkar has also contributed a lot of amazing photos to this edition. A great read!
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