Spitfire I Pilot's Notes: The Spitfire Used in the Battle of Britain in 1940

Summer 1940, the Battle of Britain has just begun, you’ve just gained your RAF ‘wings’ and been selected to fly fighters – and the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world at that, the Supermarine Spitfire mark I. A slim booklet is pressed into your hands by your squadron leader and you are told to study it before your first flight. This booklet, the Air Ministry’s Pilot’s Notes Spitfire I Aeroplane is reproduced in this short book for the first time since the Second World War.
The Air Ministry published Pilots Notes on every type of aircraft the RAF flew. They were designed so the pilot could familiarise themselves with the aircraft’s individual controls, flying characteristics and operational limits, rather like an owner’s manual. Pilot’s Notes Spitfire I Aeroplane was first issued just before the war and reprinted in April 1940 and was the manual used by Battle of Britain pilots.
Where is the safety catch on your gun button?
How long can you use the emergency boost on your Rolls Royce Merlin engine?
How do you set the range on your gun sight?
How do you know if the undercarriage of your Spitfire has successfully deployed?

About the Author
The Air Ministry was a department of the British government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the RAF. Pilot’s Notes were in fact exact copies of sections from a far larger publication issued by the Air Ministry covering every aspect of the aeroplane including basic electrical system, details of the airframe, engine installation etc. These sections were used by the RAF ground crew ‘erks’ to help familiarise those whose job it was to keep such systems working. Pilots Notes for Spitfire I Aeroplane Merlin II of III engine AP 1565 vol 1 was first published in June 1938 but the edition used most widely by Battle of Britain pilots is the edition re-published here, the April 1940 reprint together with a handful of updates made during that summer of 1940. The updates were needed as the Spitfire was at the cutting edge of fighter aircraft design and small but significant upgrades were constantly being made to improve the Spitfire. These amendments were recorded at the front of the Notes in the ‘amendment certificate’ grid, in this particular copy ‘AL 1’ (Amendment List 1) was made in June 1940 (a minor change to the introduction), ‘AL 2’ was also in June and to section 1 and so on. In 1964 the Air Ministry was merged with the Admiralty and the War Office to form the Ministry of Defence.