Major Leif Lundsten flew hundreds of Spitfires during the Second World War. As a fighter pilot with 331 Squadron and test pilot with Vickers-Armstrong, he strapped on as many as seven different marks of Spitfires. All the way from the early mark II up to the rare, brutal XII version. Following Lundsten s career as a fighter pilot through the War, all the Spitfires he flew are covered in this book along with descriptions of his sorties. Behind every Spitfire there is a story to be told. Stories of brave heroism, tragic deaths or determined resilience. Many of the Spitfires disappeared quickly, shot down by Luftwaffe fighters. Others lived longer than our hero did, and still exist today, becoming legendary Spitfires on their own. The author pays tribute to a forgotten Spitfire hero, a gallant and brave man that did his country proud. Time and time again Leif Lundsten took a Spitfire to the air, whether it was an air-test or to meet the Luftwaffe in a dogfight over the channel. He never lived to tell his story, but the stories of the Spitfires he flew remains. This is Leif Lundsten s legacy."
Introduction; 1: A Boy from Toten-May 1917-June 1938, Gjovik and Toten, Norway; 2: Learning to Fly-1938-1939, Kjeller Aerodrome, Akershus, Norway; 3: Invasion and Escape-1939-1941, Northern-Norway, Scotland, Toronto Canada, Aston Down Gloucestershire and Catterick Yorkshire; 4: First Flight-September 1941, 331 Squadron, Castletown, Skeabrea and Orkneys; 5: Battle of Britain Spitfires: November 1941, 331 Squadron, Skeabrea and Orkneys; 6: 'A' is for Bad Luck: December 1941, 331 Squadron, Skeabrea, Orkneys; 7: Scrambles and Dawn Patrols: February 1942, 331 Squadron, Skeabrea and Orkneys; 8: Combat Veteran Spitfires: March 1942, 331 Squadron, Skeabrea and Orkneys; 9: MK V Spitfire: April 1942, 331 Squadron, Skeabrea and Orkneys; 10: Baptism of Fire: North Weald Airfield, May 1942, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 11: Spitfire Summer: June 1942, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 12: Four Pilots Lost: July 1942, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 13: Battle over Dieppe: August 1942, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 14: Heavy Flak, Damn Close! September 1942, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 15: Nuts to Nazis: October 1942, Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 16: Heavy Flak over Dunkirk: November 1942, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 17: B-Flight Leader: December 1942, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 18: Leading 331 Squadron: January 1943, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 19: I Got One! February 1943, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 20: It Exploded and Went Into the Sea: March 1943, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 21: Blue Section Attack: April 1943, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 22: Junkers Ju 88 Shot Down: May 1943, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 23: To Vickers-Supermarine: July 1943, RAF Worthy Down, Hampshire; 24: Spitfires and Seafires: September 1943, RAF Worthy Down, Chattis Hill and Eastleigh, Hampshire, High Post and Wiltshire; 25: MB882, The Last of the XII: September 1943, RAF Worthy Downs, Chattis Hill and Eastleigh, Hampshire, High Post, Wiltshire; 26: Spitfire XII to North Weald: October 1943, RAF Worthy Down, Chattis Hill and Eastleigh, Hampshire; 27: Miss Sheila Lee: November 1943, RAF Worthy Down, Chattis Hill and Eastleigh, Hampshire; 28: A Christmas with Sheila: December 1943, RAF Worthy Down, Chattis Hill and Eastleigh, Hampshire; 29: 'You Took Off Up a Hill': January 1944, Chattis Hill and Eastleigh, Hampshire; 30: 'Those Guys Must Really Be Blind': February 1944, Fighter Leader School, RAF Milfield, Northumberland; 31: Squadron Leader: March 1944, 331 Squadron, North Weald, Essex; 32: Noball-Target and Royalty on the Same Day; 33: All the Way Back to Paris and Back: May 1944, 331 Squadron, Bognor Regis, West Sussex; 34: Into the Fire: June 1944, 331 Squadron, Bognor Resgis, West Sussex; 35: Fall of Night: 9 June 1944, 331 Squadron, Isigny Sur-Mer/Utah Beach, France; Bibliography.
