Sky Spy: From Six Miles High to Hitler's Bunker, Ray Holmes — 1st Edition

£20.00

Sky Spy: From Six Miles High to Hitler's Bunker, Ray Holmes — 1st Edition

Name: Sky Spy: From Six Miles High to Hitler's Bunker, Ray Holmes — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5126
Price: 20.00 GBP
Availability: OutOfStock

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Publication: Shrewsbury, Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1989

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 226.

Condition Report: 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.

Catalogue Note: 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.

Unsigned first editions of Sky Spy 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.

In Sky Spy, 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.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Ray Holmes

Book Publisher: Airlife Publishing Ltd.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Aviation & Maritime

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 226

Book Publication Year: 1989

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: Shrewsbury, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.