Spitfire

FOREWORD  by AIR MARSHAL SIR RALPH S. SORLEY, K.C.B., O.B.E., D.S.C., D.F.C. Air-Officer Commanding, Technical Training Command of the Royal Air Force  This book summarizes in a few pages years of thought, trial, experience,  danger, sweat and toil. The keynote from beginning to end is  achievement and success.  Although the task which lay before us in 1934 was well recognised, none  could then foresee its magnitude or extent, which was to embrace the  whole world for most of six years. And none could have foreseen that  Mitchell's basic design of the Spitfire was to be so fine as to hold  premier place for all those vital years. That it has done so with such  outstanding success throws the highlight on his great ability and  technical courage, ably followed up by those who came after him,  determined with the continuous aid of Rolls-Royce, to keep the Spitfire always on the top line. And they never failed.  While the weapon proved well-nigh perfect it could only succeed through the bravery of those who flew and  fought in it ; the work of those who manufactured it, and of those who  maintained it in the field. To those, too, great honour is due.   June, 1946