Beurling, George - Malta Spitfire (printed edition)
George Beurling & Leslie Roberts
Malta Spitfire
Mémoires d'un loup solitaire
Editions Blueman
"I knew neither Navarre nor Nungesser, but what I learned from them - whom I deeply admired - confirms that Beurling was the pilot of this war whom they would have liked the most..."
This is how Pierre Clostermann, "Premier chasseur de France", the greatest French ace of the Second World War, addresses George Beurling in Les Feux du ciel.
George Beurling's memoirs, written in 1943 just after his tour of duty in Malta (which ended in October 1942), are reminiscent of the greatest aerial adventure stories. There is much of the passion of René Mouchotte, Pierre Clostermann or Antoine de Saint Exupéry in this 'hot off the press' account of the exploits of Canada's greatest ace. During the summer of 1942, in just 14 days of combat, Beurling destroyed 27 German and Italian aircraft. Shot down in October 1942, he wrote in his memoirs of the devastation and exhilaration of the Battle for the Mediterranean.
Beurling, who had learned to fly in his teens, failed to make the RCAF but managed to join the RAF in 1939, where he trained as a Spitfire pilot. He quickly gained a reputation as an outstanding marksman. He was also a lone wolf, a pilot who regularly broke formation and did not scrupulously follow orders.
In June 1942, he was sent to the small island of Malta, the last meagre Allied possession in the region, which had been under siege for months. Beurling's remarkable victories not only helped the Allies to turn the tide of battle in their favour, but had a decisive effect in boosting a desperately needed morale.
He survived the war, but was killed on 21 May 1948 while ferrying a plane from Italy to Palestine during the Arab-Israeli War. He was 26 years old.
Novel format - memoirs - ISBN 978-2-940785-35-3 - 14.2 x 21.4 cm - 240 pages - black & white - softback - photo book
In French - Translation from English (USA) : Sylvain Savarin
Historical and aeronautical advice: Iza Bazin