Reginald Mitchell is one of the greatest names in aviation history. A visionary engineer with a passion for speed, his legacy is the most iconic fighter aircraft of all time: the Spitfire.

During the uneasy peace of the 1920s, he was a trailblazing innovator working at the cutting edge of technology. As Europe’s politics darkened in the 1930s, the work of Mitchell and his team became crucial to a nation preparing for war. Though he did not live to see the Spitfire in action, his work led to triumph at the Battle of Britain – and to a legendary aircraft that still inspires awe to this day.

This is the first time Mitchell’s full story has been told for a general audience. In this exhilarating biography, Paul Beaver takes us behind the scenes, exploring the creative genius of a man devoted to pushing the boundaries of technology. We see his flair for leadership and collaboration with Rolls-Royce, the pinnacle of British engineering; we learn of Mitchell’s other innovative designs that could have changed the course of the war, had he not died in 1937; and, at last, we hear the real story behind the Spitfire.

Drawing on new interviews, private archives and previously unpublished material, this is the definitive biography of a man who helped change the course of history – one of the great design leaders of the twentieth century.