Spitfire book set to soar

A book on the restoration of a World War II Spitfire and a biography of the Wanganui man who flew one of them will stand as an exclamation mark to the end of a special journey.
The book, Spitfire - Return to Flight, has been written by Brendon Deere, of Marton, and its publication, on August 16, will be the final chapter in a remarkable story.
Mr Deere, his family and friends, have spent  five years restoring a Supermarine Spitfire PV270 - a job that involved around 35,000 man-hours and a budget Mr Deere is loath to reveal.
Significantly, the plane bears the markings that his uncle, Kiwi air ace Al Deere, carried on his Spitfire when he was wing leader at Biggin Hill in 1943.
Nearly 70 years on from that momentous time, his nephew has followed his dream and recreated a full working Spitfire. Since its maiden flight in March last year, PV270 has been seen at several air shows and made fly-pasts at a number of Anzac Day ceremonies. Mr Deere said they had gone for "top quality" in the production of the 304-page book.
As well as charting the course of the restoration project, the book also features some previously unpublished information about his uncle.
"Al Deere grew up in Wanganui and it was a huge influence on his life," he said.
"Wanganui was regarded as a hub of aviation when Al was growing up, and that had a profound effect on him. In fact, his first flight was on Charles Kingsford-Smith's Southern Cross when that visited the city in 1933."
Mr Deere said the book had "pretty much" been put together in the past year.
"As soon as we got the Spitfire airborne, we started getting the book together," he said.
"I've had a lot of thoughts about the book in my head for the last few years, but we got the restoration out of the way first."
The book will sell for $69.95 and proceeds will help keep the plane flying so it can make appearances at Battle of Britain fly-pasts and Anzac Day commemorations.
An initial print run of 2000 copies  had been done.
It will be on sale at leading bookstores or directly through the Spitfire website: www.spitfirepv270.co.nz.
Mr Deere said while nothing had been finalised, he was hopeful the Spitfire would make a return visit to Wanganui next Anzac Day, and probably spend some time at Wanganui airport - as well as at the Battle of Britain service in Wellington next month.