Hi, as a total newbie to the scale modeling art, I'm looking for books on the Spitfire to do some research. I'm in need of books one would consider top of the line reference material! What would you recommend?
Thanks

It's not a book, but The Spitfire Site is about the best collection of references available anywhere. If it's got to do with the Spitfire, they know about it. There's an excellent photo gallery of the best restoration of a Mk. V ever, for example.

I strongly recommend Return to flight by Brendan Deere.
Brendan is the nephew of Al Deere.

Brendan rebuilt a mk IX Spitfire as a tribute to his uncle,it regularly flies at air shows here in NZ.

I believe it's available on Amazon.

Cheers


Chris

Unbeatable, by a country mile, is "Spitfire the History," by Morgan and Shacklady, though the second-hand price is getting a mite steep. "Sptfire Portrait of a Legend," by Leo McKinstry, is a good history book. If your abiding interest is in the Mk. IX/XVI, "Spitfire Mk. IX & XVI engineered," by Paul Monforton, takes you (literally) back to rivet detail; as far as I can tell, it's out of print, but can be downloaded.

Thank you all very much! This is a great start to finding some proper research materials.
Do keep new suggestions coming!
Thanks again.