LONDON, 15 SEPTEMBER 1940. The air battle over Britain shaped the course of the entire war. Among the clouds that day, two of the most advanced fighter planes, the British Supermarine Spitfire and the German Messerschmitt Bf 109, battled for supremacy of the skies. The Decisive Duel tells the stories of these iconic, classic aircraft and the people that created them: Willy Messerschmitt, the German designer with a love for gliders and admiration for Hitler; R.J. Mitchell, his brilliant British counterpart, who struggled against illness to complete the design of the Spitfire. In fascinating detail, David Isby describes the crucial role the two opposed planes played, from the drawing boards to Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain to the final battles over Germany. Accessibly written and impeccably researched, The Decisive Duel is a wonderful work of aviation history, and a valuable insight into the duel between two extraordinary fighters.