Happily over the hill and coasting down | Brief letters
(The Guardian Germany)

Spitfires | English National Opera | Getting older | Latin translations | Donald Trump´s `unmatched wisdom´Cath Potter (Letters, 3 October) is mistaken in thinking the Spitfire´s sole purpose was to kill Germans. It was developed to bolster the RAF´s fighter fleet. It so happened that at the time we were at war with Nazi Germany and our fighter planes were used to prevent Britons from being killed by German bombers. The Spitfire played a significant role in the defeat of Nazi Germany, which then allowed Germany to develop a major role in the European community. Incidentally, Spitfire is one of my favourite beers and I did vote remain.John Dadswell(Aged 90 and a blitz survivor), Silchester, Hampshireo Your article reporting on our new artistic director describes ENO as `embattled` (Report, 9 October). In what sense is it embattled? Audiences are up 11% in a year and we have just turned the biggest profit in almost a decade. This in turn allows us to offer free tickets to under-18s to Friday, Saturday and opening night performances. The Guardian should catch up with audiences´ perceptions of ENO, not perpetuate out-of-date myths.Stuart MurphyChief executive, English National Opera Continue reading...