Hello I'm James Rogers and this is the history hit World Wars podcast. I have had the absolute pleasure in the past to be taken up by the

REF benevolent fund in a de Haviland Tigamoff which was the primary wartime RAF trainer.

People such as Guy Gibson flew Tigamoths during their initial training.

But one thing I've never been able to do, not had the opportunity yet, is to go up in a spitfire.

But what is it about the spitfire that makes it so alluring and enduring as a symbol of Britain's war time victory.

Well, in this podcast, first recorded for Dan Snow's history hit,

Dan talks with John Nickle, a retired Royal Air Force navigator

who was shot down and captured during the first Gulf War,

and he's the author of the best-selling book, Spitfire, a very British love story.

This is a plane, as they explained, that was critical for the

R. A. F. efforts in the Battle of Britain during the Second World War and they

discuss why it occupies such a special place in the heart of the British people. I cannot pass a Waterston's bookshop or any other bookshop without seeing your big old spitfire book in the

window. It's going gangbusters. It's fantastic. Well done you.

Thanks mate. It's, do you know what, it's, I think it's now, is it 15 weeks in the top 10?

It's been an amazing journey.

Spitfire is my 15th book.

So Tornado Down was my, when I, you know, talk about my experiences with the Gulf War, down was my when I you know talk about my experiences in the Gulf War that was my first book that came out in 1992

So 26 and that was a bestseller got it again. It was a but this one has just not stopped selling over summer. Now when I wrote it I

knew it was a bit special and I had hopes for, but I had no concept.

I don't know, the publisher didn't either.

It just seems to, I don't know,

struck a chord, because there's loads of history books out there at the moment.

...