Malta Spitfire Aces (Aircraft of the Aces, 83) Paperback – September 23, 2008

This book highlights forty Spitfire aces and their aircraft in the hardest fighting ever faced by the Spitfire. The author has achieved an ideal balance between the exploits of the individual pilots and their place in the critical battle for the resupply and survival of Malta in 1942. The aircraft are depicted in the paint schemes adopted on Malta that were better suited to the bright Mediterranean sea and sky, for those aircraft that survived the incessant enemy bombing. The bibliography listed on page 95 is excellent, and the first entry in the list should be sought out and read - the testimony of Spitfire pilot Denis Barnham (One Man's Window, 1956). Two Spitfires flown by him are depicted in colour plates 7 and 8.Harry Peters, Ph.D, Sydney

Very well researched, noted more informative regarding paint schemes used by Malta Spitfires vs other works in the series. Excellent work.

As noted, I think the author did an excellent job writing up this subject, it's an excellent 1-book source if funds or time are limited. My 3-star rating pertains to the print quality of the book based on Osprey apparently moving towards a print-on-demand philosophy yet still charging the same price. While POD may be fine for text, it renders image and map quality very poorly - most photos come out too dark, losing detail, over and above the inherent ink-jet fuzziness, so while you know what you are looking at, details are frustratingly lost. For those of use modellers, this is why we purchase the books. The same detrimental effects can be seen in the color profiles in the center of the book - in this case, almost every single Spitfire profile is some shade of grey, with possibly only 2 examples in a "sort-of" desert tan camo scheme - definitely do not use this book for color ideas when building models. So all the others are essentially exactly the same (grey) but for the call signs on the fuselage sides - pretty worthless. Very disappointing. If possible, try to acquire copies from the original print run using laser-or other technique for crisp usable photos and aircraft profiles - the POD versions are rubbish unless you are just reading.

Mention of Malta Spitfires invariably brings to mind George Beurling, the RAF's master of deflection shooting. Yet Beurling was one of several hundred Spit pilots who defended that vital island from Axis invasion in 1942. Over three dozen pilots made ace over Malta in 1942 and 1943, Beurling topping the list with 27 kills. Steve Nichols tells the story of those valiant pilots in MALTA SPITFIRE ACES, #83 in Osprey's 'Aircraft of the Aces' series.First committed to action over Malta in February 1942, Supermarine's superlative fighter would prove absolutely crucial to that already battered island's existence in the coming year. During 1942 Axis air units periodically mounted punishing attacks on Malta, inflicting heavy damage. Fuel, ammunition and food stocks almost ran out and it was only through the efforts of Malta's Spitfire units that the island survived.Though 'Screwball' Beurling topped the list, other aces such as 'Buck' McNair, 'Timber' Woods, Peter Nash, Claude Weaver, Ray Hesselyn, 'Slim' Yarra, 'Johnny' Plagis and others bloodied German and Italian air units alike, giving Malta needed breathing space.Author-illustrator Steve Nichols' exciting text, filled with firsthand combat accounts, is complimented by 10 pages of Nichols-drawn color profiles. Information on Malta Spits, especially profiles, has been pretty slim so this Osprey volume is doubly welcome.Being a fighter pilot on Malta in 1942 was rough duty. Aside from the rigors of air combat, food and amenities were few. Many pilots suffered from malaria, dysentery and exhaustion. MALTA SPITFIRE ACES does a marvelous job of relating what those determined pilots did so many years ago over the Med. Recommended.

When I saw a new author writing this book, I thought, "Let`s see how good this book is."After reading this book I have two words: Absolutely wonderful!!The way he explains about the British on the small island between Italy and North Africa and how they fought valiantly against overwhelming odds, and overcame even the most difficult of battles.Never has anyone fought so much for such little ground. The British held on to the island with all they had. Nearing the brink of collapse many times, the airmen on the island still fought on, with very little supplies and aircraft.Steve explains wonderfully about the valiant efforts of the British pilots.This book needs not to be overlooked; it will add another piece of history in you library.I was glued to this book as much as John Weals' and George Mellingers' books!This book is very nicely put together. I will watch for more Steve Nichols' books in the future for sure! I highly recommend this book!

thank you

Brought as a present, my friend was very pleased

Como cualquier publicacion de osprey,no decepciona.Buen producto a buen precio.Recomendado a cualquier aficionado a la aviacion de la segunda guerra mundial.

The air war over Malta in WWII (specially during the critical year of 1942), is surprisingly under-documented for a theater that had such a pivotal role in the ultimate Allied victory, one which witnessed a great deal of human drama and heroism worth of a Hollywood epic. I'm often frustrated at how little research material on this subject is available, as for many years I seem to be stumbling on the same few photographs and short summaries which give nothing but an outline of the overall stitation and events. I bought Steve Nichol's "Malta Spitfire Aces" with the faint hope of adding a few new snipets of data to my limited knowledge of Malta's air war. I was expecting nothing more than perhaps a dull, unconnected list of names and short biographies exalting the fighting prowess of a few "aces", hoping to have a better "between the lines" insight of life in 1942 Malta. Yet, as I first opened and browsed "Malta Spitfire Aces" I realized it was a true treasure trove for armchair WWII historians as myself. Richly illustrated with wartime photographs (only few of then I had ever seen before), the book is an almost day-by-day account of Malta air battles. The aces's biographies are seamlessly woven in the narrative, allowing for a very good understanding of the RAF fighter operations in the island (and surroundings). For the first time in many years I feel I have finally understood the confusing relationship among the different squadrons, and the "mysterious" markings and cammo schemes used at the time. It's certainly not an "ultimate and exhaustive" book on the Malta WWII airwar, but it's a book I would really recommend to anyone interested in Malta's WWII RAF history. I wouldn't say the book it's a "thriller" and at times it does feel a bit repetitive with stats after stats after stats of daily air battles and "kills" scoreboards. Yet, that's a small downside to a book that is such a rich source of data (and photographs) for those of us interested in WWII history. And I cannot fail to mention the outstanding 10 pages of colour plates profiling 40 different Spitfires that flew over Malta, showing the many different subtle variations in cammo / paint schemes and markings. I for one, am truly satisfied with this book, it really surpassed all my expectations! :-)

Another quality publication by 'Osprey Publishing', this book details the important part played in the defence of Malta against the Italian and German air forces by squadrons of RAF Spitfire fighter aircraft. It explains how crucial it was to hold Malta as a base from where the German supply lines could be disrupted, and was, therefore, key to enabling the British Eighth Army to defeat Rommel's Afrika Korps.I use this book and other similar volumes to read as interesting World War II history, and also to help me in my hobby of modelling scale model aircraft constuction kits.

Osprey's aircraft of the aces are always consistently good - at least the ones I have read to date! This one lives up to previous experience!I wanted a good book on the Malta Spitfire aces and this book lived up to expectations. It us a good,solid account of the story of the men who flew in defence of Malta during the crucial period of WW2. You get a real sense of the pandemonium that was the defence of Malta from the narrative. The number of times you read that such and such a pilot shot down an enemy combatant only to be shot down and killed shortly afterwards brings home the true horror of the defence of Malta...An excellent book on the story of the Spitfire aces who fought in defence of Malta. And a good number of colour profiles that act as inspiration for modellers too...