The Extraordinary Case of Captain Virgilio Leret Gerald Howson tells the tale of the Spanish republican who invented a jet engine and died during Franco’s coup. Gerald Howson | Published in History Today Volume 57 Issue 5 May 2007 To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5. Start my trial subscription now If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in. Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems. Popular articles Siberian Exile in Tsarist Russia ‘Who Really Wrote the Bible’ by William M. Schniedewind review