Beyond the Spitfire: The Unseen Designs of R.J. Mitchell Hardcover – 2 May 2016

The author clearly cares about presentation and content making a no compromise approach to both. Researched to the highest standards and written just as well with many great images throughout, this is a standout buy for the year and something I am very happy to have on my shelf.It would be great value at twice the price.

Another excellent and well researched book from Ralph Pegram, detailing the designs of Reginald Mitchell for Supermarine. It covers those designs that actually flew, and also those that remained on paper. The book is well illustrated with photographs and three view drawings, enhanced by artists impressions of some of the more impressive unbuilt projects. There is an interesting contrast between the repetitive, somewhat uninspired designs for biplane flying boats and the advanced designs seen in the Schneider Trophy aircraft, and of course, the Spitfire. The author draws interesting comparisons between the Spitfire, the Hurricane and the somewhat neglected Gloster F5/34 prototype. He also, thankfully, dismisses some of the more persistent myths, such as the Spitfire being a private venture unsupported by the Air Ministry, and has interesting things to say about the possible influence of the elliptical winged Heinkel He 70. Also he rightly dismisses the unthinking assumption that the Spitfire was a 'development' of the Supermarine S6, although I would like to have seen more comment on the apparent design links (cantilever wing, wing shape, fuselage shape) to the S4 of 1926.

Well researched and informative. It makes you sad to realise just how much more Mitchell would certainly have achieved if his life hadn't been so tragically cut short. He was truly inspirational and among a number of great aircraft designers particularly including Sidney Camm, Mitchell was the most far-seeing and head and shoulders above the rest. We should be truly grateful for what he achieved in his short life and yet wonder how much more would have been done if we had not lost him.

A book for flying boats lovers, but not only.Hardback with cover and good quality paper. More than 200 pages with many little drawings expecially of Supermarine's lesser known aircrafts. Black and white photos and eight colour pages.With this book you can breathe the aeronautic flavour of the 20 years before the World War 2.

Absolutely excellent book, beautifully designed with some excellent CGI reproductions by Matt Painter of RJ's designs that would be the delight of any enthusiast's study, a tremendously readable text and some thought provoking reflections on both Mitchell the man and his designs.Highly recommended.

ExcellentFantastic book with plenty of photographs and line drawings. Artists renditions of the aircraft are beautifully done.

Got this for my husband and he is delighted with it..Many thanks.

Superb volume on a designer who's designs say it all.

First the negative,1. This is the cheapest quality "hardcover" I have ever seen. It was received damaged. (Dented on the bottom.)2. I am not enamored with the trend towards watermarking the background on some pages.This is an excellent book as it fills in the gaps that are usually missing in the more classic tomes that are available on Supermarine aircraft and/or the Spitfire. Aside from editorializing from a perspective 80 years after the death of RJ Mitchell the author does a great job of fleshing out the history of the man and Supermarine. The color illustrations are enjoyable and the rest of the book is reasonably well illustrated with 3 views and a few photographs interspersed throughout the text.Highly recommended.When combined with the Putnam volume you will have an excellent 2 volume library more than sufficient for the non-modeling aviation enthusiast.https://www.amazon.com/Supermarine-Aircraft-Since-Putnam-Aviation/dp/0870216147/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1474752717&sr=8-3-fkmr1&keywords=supermarine++aircraft+taylor

Excellent book with many designs I was unfamiliar with. I'm a big fan of interwar flying boats and this book is packed with them. Most of the projects and studies are relatively conventional, though there are a few gems which are wonderfully unorthodox. I only wish the drawings were reproduced larger, but I understand that it would have driven up the cost of the book. Perhaps a supplemental print-on-demand book could be done just showing the drawings at a larger scale, revealing the great detail Mr. Pegram put into them. Research and presentation are top notch. A must for any aviation enthusiast's library; I look forward to Mr. Pegram's future books.

I was not aware of the other designs R.J. Mitchell had worked on other than the spitfire - I enjoyed the Book.

Good overall coverage of the designs R.J. Mitchell was involved in - recommended.

only for the purest. The saga of development of other designs tends to be a little tedious as well it likely was during the era. Each design was built with slightly differing structure which means that the descriptions tend to run together. I was unable to keep up my interest by the time I'd reach 1/3 through the book as I expected a little more in depth knowledge into the background behind the Spitfire and this book is really about the designs of the sea planes and flying boats, which while important to the story of Supermarine were not what I was really looking for