In the Cockpit of a Spitfire

New Zealand pilot Colin Gray joined the RAF in 1939. He fought over Europe during the evacuation of the British army from Dunkirk in May 1940 and was actively involved in the Battle of Britain. He conducted raids over France, escorted bombers, attacked naval targets, and flew night missions. In January 1943, he was transferred to North Africa, where he fought over Tunisia and took part in the invasion of Sicily.

Later that year, he returned to active operations in England, defending London against V-1 flying bombs, escorting bombers, attacking the Ruhr, and participating in the capture of Arnhem and Nijmegen. In total, Gray completed over five hundred operational flights and claimed forty enemy aircraft shot down or damaged. He was one of the ten most successful Commonwealth fighter pilots and achieved the most aerial victories of any New Zealand pilot.

In addition to depicting Gray's fascinating combat actions, the book also discusses the comparative advantages of fighter aircraft, especially the various versions of the Spitfire, vividly describes dogfights, and responds to the criticism levelled at the RAF during the Dunkirk evacuation. Gray writes compellingly about the excitement and stress experienced by fighter pilots, as well as the tragedies of war.