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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Erecting Camouflage Netting at a Factory
(art) Made by: Kennedy, Cedric John 1942
image: A view looking up at four men sitting in the framework of camouflage netting suspended on poles above a structure painted with a camouflage patterns . The men are in the process of rolling out the textiles over the support.
Men Fixing Feathered Netting over a Factory
(art) Made by: Kennedy, Cedric John 1942
image: A view looking up at two men rolling out camouflage material over the net framework, suspended above an industrial building.
Camouflage
(art) Made by: Duffy, Louis 1943
image: a canopy of camouflage nets suspended over a road that leads to a cluster of industrial buildings painted with a camouflage patters. A group of figures gather in the background.
The Entrance to a Factory
(art) Made by: Duffy, Louis 1943
image: Looking down on brick factory buildings; their roofs and walls have painted camouflage. One man is painting the camouflage from a platform supported by ladders.
A Machine for Spraying Scarred Ground for Camouflage
(art) Made by: La Dell, Edwin (ARA)
image: A man drives a tractor, which has a piece of machinery attached to the back. The machinery has three taps that pour dark paint onto the ground, thus providing aerial camouflage. A factory is visible in the background.
Testing Netting at a Camouflage Research Station, Leamington Spa, 1943
(art) Made by: La Dell, Edwin (ARA) 1943
image: three camouflage workers erect large sections of camouflage netting for testing purposes at the Civil Defence Camouflage Establishment in Leamington Spa. The netting is mounted on a series of poles, but conceals nothing but grass underneath.
Fixing Textured Netting for Camouflage, 1943
(art) Made by: La Dell, Edwin (ARA) 1943
image: Five men fix camouflaged netting to the roof of what appears to be a factory building.
L D V Target Practice, Leamington Spa
(art) Made by: La Dell, Edwin (ARA)
image: a camp on a hillside, eclipsed by the glare of explosions coming from just over the brow of the hill.
Camouflage Screens at a Cheshire Factory
(art) Made by: Craig, F Barrington 1943
image: View of a factory painted in camouflage with screens of slatted wood attached to the outside of the factory building. Smoke emerges from the top of the tallest factory chimney. There are smaller red brick buildings in front of the factory.