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Battle of Britain

World's First Major 100% Air Battle
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July 10 - October 31 1940. The Battle of Britain was not a traditional battle. Rather, it was fought in the skies over the UK as the Nazi's air force, the Luftwaffe, attacked. It was the world's first major battle fought entirely in the air. The RAF lost over 1500 pilots and 1700 aircraft, while the Luftwaffe lost over 2500 men, had 925 men captured, and saw over 1900 planes destroyed. Over 23,000 civilians were also killed.

Updated October 2024
Posted December 2023

WWII The Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain
July 10 - October 31 1940
The Battle of Britain was not a traditional battle. Rather, it was fought in the skies over the UK as the Nazi's air force, the Luftwaffe, attacked. It was the world's first major battle fought entirely in the air.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) had only 749 fighter planes to defend against 2,550 German Messerschmitts, so from June to October they built around 2,000 new Hurricanes and Spitfires. Hitler had hoped to force the UK to sign a peace settlement with Nazi Germany.

However, technological advancements gave the UK an edge. The British Dowding System was an air defense network developed to protect the homeland. They built Chain Home and Chain Low stations - the first early warning radar network - which could detect approaching German aircraft up to 80 miles away. Volunteers on the ground also served as lookouts. Information was sent directly to the RAF Fighter Command Headquarters at Bentley Priory in North London, where they plotted their actions on a large map. Once detected, it took only 20 minutes for a Luftwaffe plane to reach the UK, but only 16 minutes to scramble RAF fighters to intercept. This meant the RAF pilots were only deployed once a Luftwaffe plane was en route, maximizing resources and not overworking pilots. MRAF Sir William Sholto Douglas stated, "I think we can say that the Battle of Britain might never have been won... if it were not for the radar chain."

One fifth of RAF pilots came from overseas: Commonwealth citizens, exiles from German-occupied European countries, and Irish and American pilots. Britons on the ground, including RAF ground crew, air raid wardens, firefighters, and members of the Home Guard, were part of the fight. The RAF lost over 1500 pilots and 1700 aircraft, while the Luftwaffe lost over 2500 men, had 925 [men] captured, and saw over 1900 planes destroyed. Over 23,000 civilians were also killed.

RAF Flight Suit
Flight Suit
1940
Edmund W. Prasloski wore this RAF fligit suit during the Battle of Britain. The suit had lavers to provide warmth at high altitudes.

RAF Flight Suit

Battle of Britain

WIKIPEDIAThe Battle of Britain
The Air Battle for England
It was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force, the Luftwaffe. It was the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces.

The primary objective of the German forces was to compel Britain to agree to a negotiated peace settlement.

  • In July 1940, the air and sea blockade began, with the Luftwaffe mainly targeting coastal-shipping convoys, as well as ports and shipping centers such as Portsmouth.
  • On 1 August, the Luftwaffe was directed to achieve air superiority over the RAF, with the aim of incapacitating RAF Fighter Command; 12 days later, it shifted the attacks to RAF airfields and infrastructure.
  • As the battle progressed, the Luftwaffe also targeted factories involved in aircraft production and strategic infrastructure.
  • Eventually, it employed terror bombing on areas of political significance and on civilians.

The Germans had rapidly overwhelmed France and the Low Countries in the Battle of France, leaving Britain to face the threat of invasion by sea. The German high command recognized the difficulties of a seaborne attack while the Royal Navy controlled the English Channel and the North Sea.

Battle of BritainOperation Sea Lion
On 16 July, Hitler ordered the preparation of Operation Sea Lion as a potential amphibious and airborne assault on Britain, to follow once the Luftwaffe had air superiority over the Channel. In September, RAF Bomber Command night raids disrupted the German preparation of converted barges. The Luftwaffe's failure to overwhelm the RAF forced Hitler to postpone and eventually cancel Operation Sea Lion.

The Luftwaffe proved unable to sustain daylight raids, but their continued night-bombing operations on Britain for the next couple months became known as The Blitz (short for Blizkrieg: lightning war).

Germany's failure to destroy Britain's air defenses to force an armistice (or even an outright surrender) was the first major German defeat in the Second World War and a crucial turning point in the conflict.

Battle of BritainThe Battle of Britain takes its name from the speech given by Prime Minister Winston Churchill to the House of Commons on 18 June: "What General Weygand called the 'Battle of France' is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin."

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