Stanford Tuck

by Helen Doe

ISBN: 9781911714255

Published: 2025-07-30

The first full reappraisal of one of Britain's great fighter aces, this book examines the truth behind Tuck's 1956 biography, Fly for Your Life. It looks at the evidence behind the myths, and reveals the real Stanford Tuck, a more complex man than the one-dimensional hero of the previous biography. During the Second World War, Bob Tuck was a top-scoring British fighter ace with an official score of 29 enemy aircraft destroyed by January 1942, and had become the glamorous role model for the RAF publicity machine. He had joined the RAF in 1935 and quickly showed his excellent flying skills. In 1940 his Spitfire squadron was fighting over Dunkirk where he first proved himself an expert shot. During the Battle of Britain his legendary prowess grew and he was posted to command a leaderless and demoralised squadron, this time flying Hurricanes, where he continued to prove himself an outstanding fighter ace, gaining the rare distinction of three DFCs and then the DSO for his leadership....