FULL CIRCLE. The Story of Air Fighting.

First edition, first printing. Inscribed by the author. Publisher's original blue cloth with gilt titles to the spine, in dustwrapper. Illustrated with 15 full page plates in black and white and colour by David Shepard. An excellent near fine copy, the binding square and firm, the cloth bright and fresh. The contents with the bookplate of the RAF pilot and aviation author Derek Mason to the front pastedown are clean throughout and without previous owner's inscriptions or stamps. Complete with the bright, lightly rubbed and nicked price-clipped dustwrapper that is otherwise without loss. A very attractive example.

Inscribed by the World War II flying ace author in blue ink on the front endpaper "Derek / with all good wishes / Johnnie Johnson / 27 July 1972". Air Vice-Marshal "Johnnie" Johnson flew nearly 700 Spitfire combat missions during the 1939-45 War, from the end of the Battle of Britain to the defeat of Germany in 1945, a record matched by few other Allied Pilots. Possessing tactical experience and displaying leadership of a high order, Johnson received a Squadron Command in 1942 and went on to prove himself the equal of his mentor Douglas Bader as one of the four great Allied Wing Leaders of the War. His aggressive leadership of the Kenley based Canadian Spitfire Wing saw his personal tally rocket to 25 victories during a few hectic months. After a short rest from operations, he returned to the fray in 1944 to lead No. 144 Canadian Wing into Europe. On D-Day+2 the Wing became the first R.A.F. unit to operate from France since June 1940. He subsequently led 127 and 125 Wings with high success in battles for local air superiority over North-East France and Germany. In a Fighter-Bomber role, his operations contributed to the destruction of the Seventh German Army in the Falaise Gap. Famously Johnson was the Royal Air Force's officially recognised top-scoring Fighter Pilot of the War with 38 confirmed victories.