"A charming, heartfelt, and surprisingly funny account of one man’s attempt to recreate one of Britain’s most iconic aircraft. "
What could easily have become a dry technical manual instead soars as a vivid, human story, one that balances the precision of engineering with the warmth of personal reflection. The author writes with a wonderfully self-deprecating humour that makes the book both accessible and endearing. Whether he’s describing conversations about the ‘object in the garden’ with a visitor or his family, if he’s musing over the moment a carefully machined part doesn’t quite fit or recalling his own mechanical missteps, he never takes himself too seriously.
This humility is refreshing, especially in a genre that could so easily lean toward obsessive technical detail. His wit keeps the reader grounded, transforming potentially intimidating material into something inviting and often laugh-out-loud funny.
Yet humour is only part of Price’s talent. His descriptive writing is excellent – clear, evocative, and pleasantly atmospheric. He has an uncanny ability to make metal and machinery feel alive, capturing the tactile beauty of engines, wings, and even rivets. Through his talent, the aircraft itself becomes a living character: elegant, temperamental, and noble.
Price’s prose often evokes the rhythm and grace of flight, allowing readers to imagine not just how the Spitfire was first built, but how it felt to take to the skies in one.
Adding richness to his narrative, Price intersperses his account with poignant and fascinating anecdotes from the Spitfire’s wartime history. These stories of courage, loss, and ingenuity provide powerful context for his project. They remind us that the Spitfire was never merely a machine—it was a symbol of resilience and defiance during Britain’s darkest hours.
By weaving these tales into his own modern-day adventure, Price bridges generations, linking the dedication of wartime engineers and pilots to his own painstaking craftsmanship.
How to Build a Spitfire is a perfect blend of humour, technical detail, and reverence for history. Price manages to celebrate both the artistry of aviation and the ordinary human drive to create something extraordinary. His project, while rooted in nuts and bolts, becomes a moving meditation on passion, perseverance, and the enduring power of inspiration.
In the end, David Price doesn’t just show us how to build a full-size Spitfire, he shows us why someone might want to. His book is a joyful testament to the intersection of history, engineering, and imagination. For anyone who loves aviation, craftsmanship, or simply a good, well-told story, How to Build a Spitfire is a triumph.
A unique homage to the fighter aircraft that won the Battle of Britain, marrying the story of how the author built a replica Spitfire in his garden with the plane's operational history.
| Primary Genre | History |
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A unique homage to the fighter aircraft that won the Battle of Britain, marrying the story of how the author built a replica Spitfire in his garden with the plane's operational history.In April 2018 David Price, dedicated aviation museum volunteer and author of THE CREW and MOSQUITO MEN, decided to build a Spitfire replica in his back garden. In How to Build a Spitfire he juxtaposes the story of the ups and down of his own ambitious project to recreate an icon of British aviation with a narrative of the development of the Spitfire itself, focusing in particular on the construction and production of the aircraft and its various component parts (including the Merlin engine), amplified by the testimonies of some of those who worked in the Supermarine factory in Southampton and in other Spitfire production facilities.
How to Build a Spitfire features in the following genres: Non-Fiction Books of the Month, History, Lifestyle, Hobbies and Leisure, Motoring, Political geography, Aircraft and aviation, Military history, History, History and Archaeology, Military history, Earth Sciences, Geography, Environment, Planning, Geography, Human geography, Political geography, Aircraft and aviation
Paperback, Hardback. £22.50, down from the £25.00 cover price. In Stock.
How to Build a Spitfire was written by David Price and published by Apollo an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)
How to Build a Spitfire has 320 pages
£22.50, reduced from £25.00. In Stock.
