"The Decisive Duel tells the stories of these iconic, classic aircraft and the people who created them: Willy Messerschmitt, the German designer with a love for gliders and an admiration for Hitler; R.J. Mitchell, his brilliant British counterpart, who struggled against illnes 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." --Front flap.