Dilip Sarkar He has published over thirty books on the Battle of Britain, titles which include the only biographical works formally endorsed by the families of Douglas Bader. A retired policeman, in 2003 Dilip was made an MBE for services to aviation history, and elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society in 2006. He lives in Worcester. His books include THE FEW: THE STORY OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN IN THE WORDS OF THE PILOTS ('If anyone ever needs to know anything about the RAF during the summer of 1940, don't ask the Few, ask him' GEORGE 'GRUMPY' UNWIN, Battle of Britain fighter ace, 'Captivating - written by an acknowledged expert on the Battle of Britain' PROFESSOR GARY SHEFFIELD, 'A well-researched, detailed chronicle of the Battle of Britain - written by the men who fought so bravely to repulse the German raiders' HUGH SEBAG-MONTEFIORE), THE SPITFIRE MANUAL ('A must' INTERCOM: THE AIRCREW ASSOCIATION), SPITFIRE! THE EXPERIENCES OF A BATTLE OF BRITAIN FIGHTER PILOT ('A very fine and vivid account' MAX ARTHUR), HOW THE SPITFIRE WON THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN ('Carefully argued & thoroughly convincing - a very fine volume' PROFESSOR PAUL MACKENZIE, author of BADER: A LIFE), LAST OF THE FEW: 18 BATTLE OF BRITAIN FIGHTER PILOTS TELL THEIR EXTRAORDINARY STORIES ('The Battle of Britain rethought' THE TIMES; 'Lively & deeply touching stories of those days when friend & foe met in the air' PETER TOWNSEND, Battle of Britain fighter ace), THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: THE PHOTOGRAPHIC KALEIDOSCOPE ('An excellent book' LADY BADER), BADER'S TANGMERE SPITFIRES ('A most diligent and carefully researched account' JOHNNIE JOHNSON, Second World War fighter ace), FIGHTER PILOT ('This book deserves to achieve success' DAME VERA LYNN) and SPITFIRE VOICES: LIFE AS A SPITFIRE PILOT IN THE WORDS OF THE VETERANS.

Glossary Introduction 1 First Blood: Prelude to Excellence 2 The Bader Factor: Tangmere Wing 3 Bader's Bus Company: Still Running 4 Squadron Commander: Rhubarbs & JUBILLEE 5 Wing Commander (Flying): Greycap Leader 6 127 Wing: Tactical Air Force 7 Staff Appointment: 'My Closest Shave of the War' 8 144 Wing: Shot & Shell 9 D-Day: 'Looking Down into Hell' 10 Normandy: Overtaking the Sailor 11 Normandy: Top Scoring Fighter Wing 12 Normandy: Search & Destroy 13 127 Wing: The Long Trek 14 Johnnie Johnson: Top Scoring RAF Fighter Pilot 15 Conclusion: 'A Marvellous Life' Appendix: Johnnie Johnson's Aerial Combat Claims Acknowledgements Bibliography List of Illustrations Index