The Battle of Britain

The battle begins, summer 1940
The battle begins, summer 1940

After defeating France in June 1940, Hitler assumed Britain would sue for peace but ordered his armed forces to prepare for invasion. Hermann Goering assured him that a sustained air assault would destroy the RAF, winning the air superiority needed.
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940

July 1940 saw German planes target shipping in the Channel, drawing the RAF into combat, before radar stations, communications centres and airfields faced round-the-clock bombing in August. The battle reached a climax with attacks on London in September.
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)

Joan 'Elizabeth' Mortimer, Elspeth Henderson and Helen Turner of the WAAF. All three received the Military Medal for courageous conduct during attacks on Biggin Hill airfield. Biggin Hill suffered a total of ten major attacks between 30 Aug and 5 Sept.
Non-British personnel in the RAF
Non-British personnel in the RAF

A group of pilots of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron RAF return from a sortie. The first Polish squadrons were formed in the summer of 1940. Pilots came from several other countries, including Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, New Zealand and the USA.
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford

RAF Duxford was a Sector Station in 12 Group, responsible for defending the Midlands and East Anglia. As the fighting intensified, Duxford's squadrons were called on to support 11 Group's defence of London and the south-east.
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF

Despite incessant attacks, the RAF's defences held. The Luftwaffe could not continue, and in the autumn switched to 'nuisance' raids and night operations. The failure to defeat the RAF convinced Hitler to postpone his invasion plans indefinitely.

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A British Pilot in a BE2C approaching Hit along the course of the River Euphrates, July 1919.

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<a href="http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/4521?cat=art" target="_blank"><img alt="A British Pilot in a BE2C approaching Hit along the course of the River Euphrates, July 1919." class="" src="http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib/140/media-140466/standard.jpg?action=e&cat=art" /></a> <span>A British Pilot in a BE2C approaching Hit along the course of the River Euphrates, July 1919.<a href="http://www.iwm.org.uk/corporate/privacy-copyright" target="_blank">© IWM (Art.IWM ART 4617)</a></span>

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<a href="http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/4521?cat=art" target="_blank"><img alt="A British Pilot in a BE2C approaching Hit along the course of the River Euphrates, July 1919." class="" src="http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib/268/media-268749/standard.jpg?action=e&cat=art" /></a> <span>A British Pilot in a BE2C approaching Hit along the course of the River Euphrates, July 1919.<a href="http://www.iwm.org.uk/corporate/privacy-copyright" target="_blank">© IWM (Art.IWM ART 4617)</a></span>

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© IWM (Art.IWM ART 4617)

Catalogue number

Art.IWM ART 4617

Production date

1919

Subject period

First World War

Materials

medium: oil
support: canvas

Dimensions

Support: Height 402 mm
Support: Width 478 mm
Frame: Height 468 mm
Frame: Width 548 mm

Alternative Names

object category: painting

Creator

Carline, Sydney W

Category

art

Gift of Mrs Sydney Carline and Mr Richard Carline, 1929

This item is available to share and reuse under the terms of the IWM Non Commercial Licence.

Object description

image: The back view of a pilot from the rear cockpit of a BE2C. The struts and wires of the wing structure surround the pilot, who wears helmet and goggles and is looking down and to his left, leaning slightly out of the cockpit. The River Euphrates runs below, winding across a flat plain. In the lower left there is a small puff of white smoke, and in the centre right a plume of black smoke can be seen through the wires of the wing. A pink haze of dust fills the horizon in the upper background.

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