{"product_id":"sky-spy-from-six-miles-high-to-hitlers-bunker-ray-holmes-1st-edition","title":"Sky Spy: From Six Miles High to Hitler's Bunker, Ray Holmes — 1st Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication\u003c\/strong\u003e: Shrewsbury, Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1989\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormatting\u003c\/strong\u003e: 8vo, pp. 226.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition Report\u003c\/strong\u003e: Very Good. The black cloth binding remains tight and structurally sound, with bright, unoxidised gilt titling to the spine. There are, however, several faint, superficial whitish blemishes and light rubbing present on the front board's cloth, alongside minor shelf-wear to the extremities. The internal text block is exceptional, crisp, bright, and entirely free from foxing, prior ownership inscriptions, or internal marking. The original unclipped dust jacket presents well, showing only trivial surface rubbing and very faint creasing to the spine ends, remaining vibrant and highly presentable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCatalogue Note\u003c\/strong\u003e: This is a true first edition, first printing. The volume is complete with its original dust jacket, featuring Geoffrey Nutkins' striking cover artwork depicting the author's close encounter over London, and includes a central section of historical photographs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnsigned first editions of \u003ci\u003eSky Spy\u003c\/i\u003e remain relatively common on the open market, though copies retaining such clean, crisp internal text blocks and vibrant dust jackets remain desirable for aviation history collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eSky Spy\u003c\/i\u003e, Ray Holmes offers a gripping and remarkably candid firsthand account of his extraordinary wartime career. An engaging storyteller with a journalist's eye for detail, Holmes famously defended Buckingham Palace on 15 September 1940 by ramming his Hurricane into a German Dornier 17 after running out of ammunition. Beyond this iconic Battle of Britain moment, his memoir chronicles a diverse and thrilling service record, from teaching Russian pilots in Murmansk and flying high-altitude reconnaissance Spitfires, to serving as a King's Messenger and walking through the ruins of Hitler's bunker. Written with tremendous verve, it stands head and shoulders above the average wartime memoir.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Broadhursts Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54618405568851,"sku":"5126","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/1469\/6787\/files\/20260811_130747.jpg?v=1787040921","url":"https:\/\/broadhurstsbooks.com\/products\/sky-spy-from-six-miles-high-to-hitlers-bunker-ray-holmes-1st-edition","provider":"Broadhursts Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}