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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ROYAL AIR FORCE: 2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE, 1943-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
Airmen of No. 2777 Field Squadron, RAF Regiment, mount guard from their Humber light reconnaissance car over a dispersal area at B89/Mill, Holland. Manning the bren-gun turret is Leading Aircraftman L Bassett of Hook, Hampshire. The aircraft in the...
ROYAL AIR FORCE BOMBER COMMAND, 1942-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
Bursts of German anti-aircraft fire fill the sky above Wesel, Germany, as 80 Avro Lancasters of No. 3 Group attack the town in preparation for the 21st Army Group's assault across the River Rhine, (Operation VARSITY) on 24 March 1945. Photograph was...
ROYAL AIR FORCE: 2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE, 1943-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
Armourers attach the nose and tail units onto a cluster projectile containing 26 x 20-lb anti-personnel bombs, fitted under the wing of a Hawker Typhoon Mark IB of No. 439 Squadron RCAF at B78/Eindhoven, Holland.
ROYAL AIR FORCE: 2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE, 1943-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
Flight Lieutenant J M Woodcock (seated), the Commanding Officer of No. 1 'M' Balloon Unit, checks the position of a bundle of propaganda leaflets and ballast loaded under an M-type balloon by the roadside at Bunsbeek, Belgium, before it is despatched...
ROYAL AIR FORCE: 2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE, 1943-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
Corporal J Brace of No. 1 'M' Balloon Unit releases an M-type balloon carrying a bundle of propaganda leaflets for release over Germany, at Bunsbeek, Belgium
ROYAL AIR FORCE: 2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE, 1943-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
A Hawker Typhoon Mark IB of No. 439 Squadron RCAF taxies through a water splash at B78/Eindhoven, Holland, while leaving its dispersal loaded with two 1,000-lb bombs for an attack on a rail target behind the German lines.
ROYAL AIR FORCE: 2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE, 1943-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
Personnel of No. 1 'M' Balloon Unit inflating M-type balloons from hydrogen cylinders by the roadside at Bunsbeek, Belgium, before loading them with propaganda leaflets for despatch over areas of Germany.
ROYAL AIR FORCE: 2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE, 1943-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
Ground crew of No. 3208 Servicing Commando, insert collapsible tubes from a pre-heating van into the air intake and radiator of a Hawker Typhoon Mark IB in the snow at B58/Melsbroek, Belgium. The tubes fed hot air into the Napier Sabre engines, which...
ROYAL AIR FORCE: 2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE, 1943-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
In the bitter cold and snow of a January night, armourers load four 1,000-lb MC bombs into the bomb-bay of a North American Mitchell of No. 139 Wing, No. 2 Group, for an early morning sortie from B58/ Melsbroek, Belgium.
ROYAL AIR FORCE: 2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE, 1943-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
A Hawker Typhoon Mark IB of No. 143 Wing taxies past dispersed Supermarine Spitfire Mark IXs along the ice-covered runway at B78/Eindhoven, Holland, for an early-morning sortie. Note the ground crewman sitting on the Typhoon's wing to guide the pilot,...